SYRIA, — Syrian Committee for Human Rights has received credible reports that the Syrian intelligence has recently threatened a number of activists that their children and family members will be kidnapped and taken hostage if they continue in their civilian opposition. They have also threatened to kill the activists and members of their families in order to dissuade them from continuing their work. It seems there is a full security alert.
In the 1980s Syrian intelligence services arrested thousands of relatives of opponents, and whole families were wiped out and killed.
Syrian Committee for Human Rights reports that it has received numerous complaints from activists demanding that these threats are taken seriously and that humanitarian organizations are notified. The Committee draws attention to the illegality of this behavior by the Syrian authorities, and counter to the rules of civil life, Syrian laws and international conventions and treaties. The Committee emphasizes that it will pursue every violation.