August 4, 2010 by sks
‘Abdelbaqi Khalaf is being tortured or otherwise ill-treated, according to reliable sources. Every few weeks, they say, he is taken from Damascus Central prison in ‘Adra, northern Damascus, to a branch of State Security, where officers are trying to force him to “confess” to a crime he maintains he did not commit.
An unknown number of other Kurds have been detained in connection with the same case, including three brothers, Munther, Nedal and Riad Ahmed, who are all being held in the same prison. According to exiled Syrian Kurdish activists, ‘Abdelbaqi Khalaf, the three Ahmed brothers and up to dozens of other Kurdish detainees are being held in connection with the killing of two Syrian soldiers or intelligence officers in the north-eastern city of Qamishli in early 2008. Syrian Kurdish exiles maintain that ‘Abdelbaqi Khalaf can have had no link to the killings as he has always strongly opposed violence in the struggle for greater respect for Kurdish rights. He has not yet had access to legal counsel, and has not been brought before a court. His family hired a lawyer for him, but the prison authorities would not let the lawyer meet with ‘Abdelbaqi Khalaf when he went to the prison.
Until early 2010, ‘Abdelbaqi Khalaf was held incommunicado at an unknown location, conditions in which torture and other ill-treatment are particularly common. Reports from Syria indicate he was made to hang by his wrists which were shackled to the wall for the first eight days and that he was regularly subjected to other forms of ill-treatment during the first three months. ‘Abdelbaqi Khalaf has received several family visits since the start of this year, but one was cancelled, apparently because he had been tortured recently, and was not in a fit state to be seen.
Torture and other ill-treatment are carried out widely in detention and interrogation centres in Syria. Four deaths as a possible result of torture have been reported in the last two months alone.
PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Arabic, French, English or your own language:
n Expressing concern at reports that ‘Abdelbaqi Khalaf has been tortured or otherwise ill-treated, and has been held without charge for nearly two years;
n Urging the authorities to release immediately and unconditionally ‘Abdelbaqi Khalaf and all others detained without charge in connection with the same case, unless they are to be charged with recognizably criminal offences and tried promptly in proceedings which meet international fair trial standards;
n Calling on them to allow ‘Abdelbaqi Khalaf and all others detained in connection with the same case immediate access to legal counsel of their own choosing, and any medical attention they may require;
n Reminding them that Syria is a state party to the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which bans torture and other ill-treatment under any circumstances.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 14 SEPTEMBER 2010 TO:
President
His Excellency Bashar al-Assad
Presidential Palace
al-Rashid Street
Damascus
Syrian Arab Republic
Fax: +963 11 332 3410
Salutation: Your Excellency
Minister of Defence
His Excellency Lieutenant-General Ali Ben-Mohammed Habib Mahmoud
Ministry of Defence
Omayyad Square
Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic
Fax: +963 11 223 7842
Salutation: Your Excellency
And copies to:
Minister of Interior
His Excellency Major Sa’id Mohamed Samour
Ministry of Interior
‘Abd al-Rahman Shahbandar Street
Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic
Fax: +963 11 222 3428
Salutation: Your Excellency
Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date. This is the first update of UA 222/09 (MDE 24/022/2009). Further information: www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE24/022/2009/en
URGENT ACTION
SYRIAN KURD TORTURED IN CUSTODY
