The Syrian Human Right’s Committee’s (SHRC) media spokesman has strongly condemned the killing of the detainee Yassir al-Saqa, which occurred in vague circumstances, commenting, “the issuing of the order and his execution took place secretly, so that even his family were not informed, assuming he was alive until they happened to learn of his killing by chance”.
The media spokesman has also suspected the truth of the narration, which claimed Yassir had been sentenced to death. Instead he stated that it was more probable that Yassir al-Saqa had died under the severe and inhumane torture practised by the Syrian Intelligence, a truth covered under the guise of a death sentence. The spokesman also added that, “Death in Syrian prisons is a widespread phenomenon, particularly among those detained due to their Islamic backgrounds or views. The Intelligence forces then enjoy wide authorities of agonising them during interrogation sessions to the brink of death.” The spokesman proved his point by pointing out to the many events that put pressure on the detainees, as well as the ill reputed law No. 49/1980 that sentence to death the mere intellectual affiliation to the Muslim Brotherhood. He concluded by calling upon all those who appreciate the value of life to stand up to the barbaric and deadly torture practised in the interrogation centres of the Syrian Intelligence, and work to put an end to the arbitrary arrests and brutal torture suffered by Syrian citizens.
Syrian Human Rights Committee
23/6/2008 

Background:
The Syrian Authorities killed the engineer Yassir al-Saqa (From Aleppo, born 1970, married with two children) approximately a month ago, although they did not inform his family. The news spread in Aleppo when his wife, Ayah al-Batal, daughter of the engineer Nizar al-Batal, visited the civic record centre to obtain the Family Registration Book in order to receive diesel vouchers. Upon her visit, a member of staff informed her that her husband was dead. Ayah al-Batal denied this however, claiming that her husband had been detained with the Intelligence branch for approximately two years. The member of staff referred to his records, and confirmed that one of his references indicated that the death sentence has been issued and passed against her husband by an authorised party. It is important to note that Yassir al-Saqa’s family is a conservative Aleppine family, and it is thought that the death sentence passed against him was linked to his Islamic background.