The Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession (ACIJLP) is extremely disturbed by the measures to which Syrian civil society and human rights groups are subject to. They are facing what resembles a liquidation campaign by the Syrian authorities against civil society work, carried out in the work climate embodied in the continuing state of emergency in force since 8th March 1963.
ACIJLP fears that decree N/K/168 issued by the Syrian social affairs and labour ministry dissolving the Damascus based Association for the Social Initiative (which is concerned with women’s issues) on the pretext of public interest concerns, represents the Syrian authorities’ vision of civil society organisations. According to this vision civil society organisations are a threat to the public good, since the decree has no justification either in the Constitution or Syrian Associations Law 39 (1958). This indicates the desire of the Syrian authorities to oppress civil society organisations.
ACIJLP points out that the social affairs and labour ministry’s decree is in violation of Syria’s international commitments and obligations, in particular the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ratified by Syria on 21st April 1969 and which entered into force on 23rd March 1976. Article 22 of the Covenant states:
1. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of association with others, including the right to form and join trade unions for the protection of his interests.
2. No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right other than those which are prescribed by law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order (ordre public), the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. This article shall not prevent the imposition of lawful restrictions on members of the armed forces and of the police in their exercise of this right.
ACIJLP urges the Syrian authorities concerned to guarantee the exercise of the right to form associations by withdrawing the decree passed by the social affairs and labour ministry ordering the dissolution of the Association for the Social Initiative.
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Nasser Amin
General Director
The Arab Center for Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession (ACIJLP)
8/10 Mathaf El Manial St., Manial El Roda,
Cairo, Egypt
Telefax: (202) 5310027 - 3620732
Mobile: (2)0123112420
E-mail: acijlp@thewayout.net
Website: www.acijlp.org
Derechos Human Rights sent a letter today to the Syrian Ambassador to the US regarding the violations of freedom of movement of Mr. Radwan Ziadeh, a human rights defender who was not allowed to leave the country in order to present a paper at a human rights conference in Jordan. Human rights defenders in Syria have often been the subject of restrictions and harassment.
Please write similar letters to the Syrian authorities.
June 29, 2006
DERECHOS HUMAN RIGHTS
46 Estabrook St.
San Leandro, CA 94577
USA
510-483-4005
Mr. Imad Moustapha
The Embassy of Syria
2215 Wyoming Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008
syrembas@syrembassy.net
Dear Mr. Moustapha,
I am writing to express my organization's concern with the treatment of Radwan Ziadeh, Director of the Damascus Centre for Human Rights Studies. Mr. Ziadeh was prevented by security forces from leaving Syria on June 26, 2006. He was to attend the conference "Human rights within the framework of Criminal Justice: current challenges and needed strategies in the Arab World" in Amman, Jordan.
As you know, this restriction on Mr. Ziadeh's freedom of movement is a violation of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1998, which guarantees the right of human rights defenders to freely associate with others and to publish, disseminate and discuss information and views on human rights at the national and international level.
We request that the Syrian government put an end to all forms of harassment and restrictions against Mr. Ziadeh. We also request that the rights of all human rights defenders in Syria to research, analyze and report on issues of human rights and human rights abuses be respected. Finally, we request that the Syrian government respect and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms in Syria in accordance with international human rights standards.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Margarita Lacabe
Executive Director
Derechos Human Rights
Other authorities:
- M. Bashar al-ASAD, President of the Republic, Presidential Palace, Abu Rummaneh, Al-Rashid Street Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic. Tel/ Fax : + 963 11 33 23 410
- Général Basam ABD AL-MAJID, Ministry of the Interior, Merjeh Circle, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic. Tel/Fax : +963 11 222 34 28; Email: admin@civilaffair-moi.gov.sy
- M. Muhammad al-GHAFRI, Ministry of Justice, Al Nasr street, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic. Tel/Fax : +963 11 224 62 50
- M. Walid MU’ALLIM, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, al-Rashid Street, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic. Fax: + 963 11 332 76 20
- His Excellence Ambassador Mr. Bashar JA’AFARI, Permanent Mission of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations in Geneva, Rue de Lausanne 72 (3rd floor), 1202 Geneva, Switzerland, Fax: +41 22 715 45 60, Email: mission.syria@ties.itu.int
- Ambassador Mr. Badi Khattab, Diplomatic Mission of the Syrian Arab Republic in Brussels, 1 avenue F.D. Roosevelt, 1050 Brussels, Belgium, Tel: + 32 2 554 19 22; Fax: + 32 2 648 14 85