Syria: Amnesty International repeats its call for the immediate release of five prisoners of conscience and for the
dropping of all charges against them
On the eve of three trials before the Supreme State Security Court (SSSC) of five prisoners of conscience, Amnesty
International is repeating its calls for the men to be immediately and unconditionally released. Four are detained for
their peaceful and legitimate use of the Internet; one is detained for his work in defence of human rights. Amnesty
International calls for the charges brought against the five men to be dropped.
On Sunday 25 July the trials will resume, following hearings on 15 March and 6 June, of the brothers Muhannad Qutaysh
and Haytham Qutaysh, and Yahia al-Aws, who were arrested 18 months ago, reportedly for sending articles to an electronic
newspaper in the United Arab Emirates. On the same day, student Mas'oud Hamid will appear before the SSSC following his
arrest on 24 July 2003, reportedly for posting photos onto Internet sites of a peaceful Kurdish demonstration in
Damascus.
Muhannad Qutaysh and Yahia al-Aws are both charged with "obtaining information that must remain secret for the safety of
the state and the interest of a foreign state"; Haytham and Muhannad Qutaysh are both charged with "inciting for
obtaining information that must remain secret for the safety of the state and the interest of a foreign state"; Haythem
Qutaysh is also charged with "carrying out writings not approved by the government which expose Syria and the Syrians to
the threat of hostile acts that harm Syria's relations with a foreign state"; and Yahia al-Aws and Muhannad Qutaysh are
also charged with "disseminating false news abroad". Mas'oud Hamid is reportedly charged with "unlawful" use of the
Internet.
Amnesty International is particularly concerned that the four men are at risk of being handed down harsh prison
sentences in the wake of the SSSC's 20 June 2004 sentencing of 'Abdel Rahman al-Shaghouri, following an unfair trial, to
two and a half years' imprisonment, on charges of "disseminating false information" via the Internet. Over the years
Amnesty International has documented evidence showing how trials held before the SSSC are grossly unfair.Its verdicts
are not subject to appeal, and it is not bound by the rules of the Code of Criminal Procedures. SSSC trials are also
unfair because defendants have restricted access to lawyers; judges, especially the President of the Court, have been
granted wide discretionary powers; and confessions allegedly extracted under duress or torture are accepted as evidence.
In April 2001, the Human Rights Committee - the body of experts that mo On 26 July, human rights defender and prisoner
of conscience from 1991 to 1998, Aktham Nu'aysa, will also be tried before the SSSC on charges relating to his work in
defence of human rights. He previously appeared before the SSSC on 22 April. He is the head of the Committees for the
Defence of Democratic Liberties and Human Rights (CDDLHR), which has led a nationwide campaign for respect for human
rights, including for an end to the state of emergency which has been in force in Syria since 1963, in the context of
which multiple human rights violations have been committed. He faces several charges including "carrying out activities
contrary to the socialist system of the state" and "opposing the objectives of the revolution" - which could carry a
sentence of up to 15 years. He is being held in solitary confinement but has been allowed to meet with his lawyers, and
briefly with his fa
Muhannad Qutaysh, Haytham Qutaysh, Yahia al-Aws and Aktham Nu'aysa are detained in Sednaya Prison. Mas'oud Hamid remains
in incommunicado detention at 'Adra Prison. Amnesty International considers all five men to be prisoners of conscience
detained for their peaceful and legitimate practise of their right to freedom of expression. In the event of any of them
being sentenced to terms of imprisonment, Amnesty International will continue to campaign for their unconditional
release.
View all AI documents on Syria: http://amnesty-news.c.topica.com/maactpdaa8BJ0bb0hPub/