(WAN/IFEX) – In a 24 May 2002 letter to President Bashar al-Assad, WAN and the World Editors Forum (WEF), expressed their serious concern over the arrest of journalist Aziza Sbayni and her sister. According to reports, in early May security forces arrested Sbayni and her sister Shirin in Damascus. The two women were reportedly jailed […]
(WAN/IFEX) – In a 24 May 2002 letter to President Bashar al-Assad, WAN and the World Editors Forum (WEF), expressed their serious concern over the arrest of journalist Aziza Sbayni and her sister.
According to reports, in early May security forces arrested Sbayni and her sister Shirin in Damascus. The two women were reportedly jailed for “having expressed their opinion”, although no details have been given of the publication Sbayni worked for, nor of the exact nature of the offence.
WAN and WEF noted their concern at the deteriorating situation of freedom of expression in Syria, including the continued persecution of exiled journalist Nizar Nayyouf and his family (see IFEX alerts of 2 May and 15 February 2002, 10 and 6 December, 29, 28, 20 and 9 November, 18 October, 12 and 7 September, 16 July, 25, 22 and 20 June, 7 May, 30, 25 and 4 April, 1 March, 27 and 15 February and 26 January 2001 and others).
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the president:
– reminding him that the jailing of Sbayni and her sister constitutes a clear breach of their right to freedom of expression, which is guaranteed by numerous international conventions
– noting that the United Nations Commission on Human Rights considers that “detention, as punishment for the peaceful expression of an opinion, is one of the most reprehensible ways to enjoin silence and, as a consequence, a grave violation of human rights”
– calling on him to ensure that Sbayni and her sister are immediately released and that all charges against them are dropped
– urging him to do everything possible to ensure that in future Syria fully respects international standards of freedom of expression
Appeals To
His Excellency President Bashar al-Assad
Damascus, Syria
c/o HE Ambassador to USA
E-mail: webmaster@syrianinternet.com
Please copy appeals to WAN.
