The Supreme State Security Court issued last Sunday (5/11/2006) a number of harsh sentences against detainees of Islamic orientation. It issued sentences against individuals called Hama group, whose members have been detained since 6-7/8/2004. Abd al-Samad al-Jajeh was given a six year prison sentence, al-Wahab al-Imadi, Ahmad Hijazi, Abd al-Hameed Tabba’a were each given a five year term in prison. Firas Hammood, Ahmad al-Mousli, Huzifah Quazerbash, Bassam al-Asfar Iyad Nayrabiah and Mohammed Hamameh were all given three year prison sentences.

 The same court issued a five year term in prison against the two citizens from al-Rakka, Hamed Khuder (detained since 25/7/2004) and Mohammed Hussein Hammadeh (detained since 25/6/2004) who were charged with affiliating to a secret organisation that aims to change the structure of the state socially and economically according to article 306 of the penal code in addition to instigating sectarian and denominational rifts.

 The Syrian Human Rights Committee (SHRC) regards the above sentences issued by SSSC unconstitutional, illegal and unfair, especially that the court draws information and receives orders from intelligence and security bodies which arrest citizens despotically outside the rule of the law, under unjust conditions where the detainees are deprived from appointing their lawyers or defend themselves fairly whilst the sentences are considered final and can’t be challenged in another court.

 SHRC requests the Syrian authorities to immediately release the aforementioned detainees and repeal these unjust sentences issued against them, to release all political detainees and prisoners of conscience, to terminate all forms of despotic arrests which occur on the largest scale in Syria, especially among individuals with religious tendencies. SHRC appeals also to all human rights supporters to challenge this gross injustice which victimises many citizens because of their beliefs or because of their exercising their right to express their views

 Syrian Human Rights Committee
8/11/2006