Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Two Kurdish sisters face political trial in Syria

DAD

Syrian Committee for Human Rights-MAD
19/01/2010

A Kurdish woman, Asmia Mourad Sami from Girke Lege in the Kurdish region of Syria, has been arrested. She is a married woman and mother of eight children. She was summoned to the Political Security branch Fayha, in Damascus on Wednesday 06 January 2010. She has not returned home yet and there has been no news about her.

It is worth noting that Mrs.Asmia Mourad Sami was arrested on 16 August 2009 along with her sister, Aihan Mourad Sami, by Political Security in Hassakeh province. They were released a month later by the individual military judge in Qamishli, and the case has been listed for trial on 17 January 2010. The prosecution has brought charges against them of belonging to a political organization that is prohibited, this being Democratic Union Party (PYD).

Syrian Committee for Human Rights – MAD condemns arrests and detentions on the grounds of political affiliations, as this is illegal. We condemn detentions and abuses by use of the powers under Emergency Law as these break international laws that uphold liberty. We demand the release of all political prisoners, and that these abusive practices are stopped as they are contrary to human rights as defined by international law. We demand the abolition of special courts and the ending of the State of Emergency in Syria.

Syrian Committee for Human Rights-MAD