An informed source has reported that more than ten Syrian citizens have been arrested in al-Ishaara in the province of Dayr Az-Zawr (North East Syria) on the 11-12/5/2007.

Among those who were arrested was Dr. Madhar Abdul Rahman al-Weis (General Practitioner, 27 years). He was arrested in his Surgery and taken to a Security Branch in Damascus, separated from those he was arrested with. Since then, no news has been heard of them and their communication with the outer world has been completely cut off.

The Syrian Human Rights Committee (SHRC) requests the Syrian Authorities to reveal the names of those arrested from al-Ishaara and to release them all immediately. If any individual has been accused of breaking the law then he should be referred to a normal court and tried in a fair court case.

SHRC also affirms its fears that those arrested will be subjected to torture and ill treatment, and that detainees will be made to extract confessions under torture. SHRC condemns all types of arbitrary arrests and orders a complete end to such practices.

Syrian Human Rights Committee
24/5/2007