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SHRC 
With reference to SHRC’s urgent appeal issued on 20/1/2008, the committee recalls that a year has passed since the arrest of the youth Kareem Arbaji. Arbaji was arrested on 7/6/2007 due to his involvement in the administration of the Akhawia forum and his defence of human rights in Syria.
Kareem Arbaji was repeatedly summoned to Al-Mantiqa branch of military intelligence in rural Damascus due to his activities on the internet, and was thereafter arrested on Wednesday 7/6/2007 during one of his visits. His family was not informed of his arrest, and nobody was allowed to make any form of contact with him or even know the place of his detainment. Reports have said that he was taken to the Palestine Branch, a prison with a notorious reputation, and thereafter transferred to Sednaya Military prison.
Kareem Arbaji is being tried at the SSSC. The court’s previous session took place on the 20/4/2008, when the court accused him of spreading lies aiming to weaken national Morales based on article 286 of the Syrian penal code.
The next hearing is scheduled on Sunday 8/6/2008.
Kareem Arbaji (31 years) is from Bab Toma neighbourhood in Damascus, a graduate in economics from the faculty of Accounting, Damascus University. He runs a company which offers consultative and advisory services for trading companies.
SHRC calls upon the concerned Syrian Authorities to immediately release Kareem Arbaji as he has not committed any crime punishable by law. SHRC also calls for an end to the stifling of freedom of conscience and expression, and to stop the despotic practises of the Syrian Intelligence.
SHRC also calls upon all human rights organisations to work on to stop any unjust sentence that could be potentially passed upon Kareem Arbaji, due to his defence of human tights and freedom of expression in Syria.
Syrian Human Rights Committee
1/6/2008 |
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