An informed source in the province of Idlib has reported to the Syrian Human Rights Committee (SHRC) that the campaign of arrests being carried out in the province by the dominating Intelligence Services against citizens with a Salafi school of thought is still in operation. SHRC has previously issued several statements regarding this issue.
The source provides the names of 12 youths in their twenties from the areas of Mohambel and Bazabor, arrested approximately three months ago. They are:

1- Maher Mohammed Abdul-Baqi (23 years- Mohambel)
2- Mohammed Abdul-Ghafoor Abdul-Baqi (22 years- Mohambel)
3- Ahmed Abdul-Ghafoor Abdul-Baqi (24 years- Mohambel)
4- Mohammed Marwan Abdul-Baqi (26 years- Mohambel)
5- Ma'moun Ahmed Faroun (28 years- Mohambel- his father was detained for a long period of time, accused of belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood. He was released in 12/2006)
6- Usama Nadir 'Aasi (Bazabor/Areeha)
7- Abdul-Latif As'ad 'Aasi (Bazabor/Areeha)
8- Sa'ad Naafi' 'Aasi (Bazabor/Areeha- his father was killed by the Syrian Security in the Syrian Regime Prisons, 1987)
9- Hamza Naafi' 'Aasi (Bazabor/Areeha)
10- Alqa'qa' Naafi' 'Aasi (Bazabor/Areeha)
11- Unknown name- fourth sibling of brothers above (Bazabor/Areeha)
12- Sa'eed Ahmed 'Aasi (Bazabor/Areeha)

The source also added that any information about the detainees disappeared upon their arrest. No information has been given as to their place of arrest, accusations directed against them. Furthermore, the detainees have been forbidden from contacting them, threatening them that they could be tortured, treated badly or dishonoured.

The Syrian Human Rights Committee (SHRC) considers these arrests- taking place in Idlib and other Syrian provinces- based on creed and freedom of expression as an extreme violation of basic human rights. This is contradicting the fact that these human rights have been adopted by Syrian constitution and other human rights conventions, many of which the Syrian regime has been party to. With this in mind, SHRC calls upon the Syrian regime to release all abovementioned detainees and all detainees of the Syrian regime immediately and to abolish the state of emergency laws that allow for such violations of human rights. If any of the abovementioned has committed a legally described offence then he should be referred to a normal court which runs fair trials, and in which he enjoys his freedoms and has the right to defend himself.

Syrian Human Rights Committee
31/10/2007