February 23, 2010 by sks
Kurdish Committee for Human Rights in Syria al-Rased reports that Mohammed Salih Khalil, a member of the Political Bureau of the Democratic Kurdish Party in Syria al-Party appeared before the military court in Aleppo on 18 February 2010. He has been charged with membership of a secret organisation under Article 288 of the Syrian Penal Code, case no. 271, and is being held in the Central Prison in Aleppo. His case was adjourned to 25 March 2010.
Mohammed Salih was born in Afrin in 1953, and lives in Aleppo. He was arrested on 11 November 2009 by a patrol of military security, and has been held at the Palestine Branch of military security in Damascus since that time, until his recent transfer to Aleppo Central Prison.
We in the al-Rased Committee for Human Rights in Syria condemn this unfair trial against Mohammed Salih Khalil. We call upon the Syrian authorities to stop referring civilians to military courts under the State of Emergency. We express our concern about the clear lack of independence and impartiality of the judiciary, which constitutes a continuing violation of fundamental freedoms and judicial independence that was guaranteed by the Syrian Constitution, and confirmed by international covenants on human rights that have been signed and ratified by the Syrian Government.
We support a democratic dialogue to work towards a solution for Syria.
The Information Office of the Kurdish Committee for Human Rights in Syria al-Rased – Aleppo
21 February 2010
