Demonstrations to release Kurdish political prisoners in Syria

April 17th marks the 64th anniversary of Syrian independence. It is likely to be a day of mixed celebration, for while the country may be independent; many Syrians cannot but acknowledge that they are not free. Today protests carried out in Brussels and London to remind the Syrian authorities that many of the hopes for the country in 1946 remain unfulfilled.

Back in 1946 responsibility for running the country passed from a French Mandate to a republican, parliamentary democracy: a rare and fragile thing, of course, in the Middle East, but achieved in Syria. Over the years domestic and external pressures led to a series of coups and counter-coups, but the question that Independence Day raises is: Are these the aberrations or the rule?

Just how far Syria is from being free can be seen in the growing list of imprisoned human rights defenders:

Kamal al Labwani, a doctor whose 12 year prison sentence was found to be unfair by the UN Working Party on Arbitrary Detentions in 2009′

Haytham al-Maleh, a lawyer suffering ill-health at present and inadequately treated by the prison medical authorities;

‘Abed al-Hafith ‘Abed al-Rahman, a 44-year-old Syrian Kurdish human rights activist, held without contact with the outside world and at risk of torture.

Previous report: http://supportkurds.org/reports/appeal-for-the-release-of-kurdish-human-rights-activist-abdul-hafiz-abdul-al-rahman-in-syria

A list of individuals like that shows only the tip of an iceberg: The state of emergency, restricted freedoms of expression and association, arbitrary detentions, acts of torture and the prosecution and harassment of human rights defenders and repressing political dissent…so many human rights violations are being committed in Syria!

April 17th marks the anniversary of a moment when national development (the formation of a Government ready to take over) and international pressure (not least from the British Government on the French) created and independent and democratic Syria. The hopes of the 1946 generation may not yet be realized, but they do continue to motivate the remarkable human rights defenders of Syria.

Amnesty members’ organised demonstrations, and invite support as follows:

Canada: Saturday 17th APRIL 2010, Philips Square, Sainte Catherine Street & Union Avenue, Montreal centre ville

Switzerland: Saturday 17th, Casinoplatz, 3011 Bern, From 11.00 Am – 12.00 Pm

England: from 2pm to 5pm on 17th April outside the Syrian Embassy at 8 Belgrave Square, SW1X 8PH London

France: Ce rassemblement aura lieu Place de la Sorbonne à Paris Le Samedi 17 Avril 2010 de 16 h à 18 h.

Belgium: the demonstration will be held in front of the Syrian Embassy on Saturday, April 17th, at 3 pm address: Avenue Franklin Roosevelt-3 Bruxelles-1050

USA: Saturday, April 17, 2010, Time: 12:00pm – 2:00pm, Location: Syrian Embassy in Washington DC, Street: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW

City/Town: Washington, DC

Take action now

http://blogs.amnesty.org.uk/blogs_entry.asp?eid=6294

…………………….

Co-Chair: International Support Kurds in Syria Association [SKS]

Web: www.supportkurds.org

Email: info@supportkurds.org

Email: sksassociation@yahoo.co.uk