By Warren Popp
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

 

DAMASCUS, Syria – On 16 June, Syrian journalist, Ali al-Abdallah, completed a two and half year prison sentence for “disseminating false information with the aim of harming the state,” for “membership of a secret organisation designed to destabilise the state,” and “inciting ethnic and racial tension.” He was sentenced, along with eleven others, for charges based on their calls for a radical shift in Syrian relations with Lebanon, as demonstrated by their support of the Damascus Declaration, a movement that is calling for peaceful and democratic change in Syria (Al-Abdullah had been elected to the secretariat of the Damascus Declaration Movement shortly before his arrest). However, shortly after he was set to be released, he was informed that new charges were being brought against him, and that he would therefore not be released.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, the latest charges accuse al-Abdallah of  “disseminating false information with the aim of harming the state and weakening national feelings,” and with “taking actions, producing writings or speeches not sanctioned by the government that would expose Syria to the danger of hostility, or harm its relationship with a foreign country, or expose Syrians to retaliation against them or their property.” These charges stem from an article al-Abdallah wrote about three months ago, while he was imprisoned in Syria, that was critical of Syria’s ties with Iran, and criticized the religious form of government advocated by Iranian Shiite leaders.

Calls both condemning the detention and calling for the release of al-Abdallah have come from numerous human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

On 23 June 2010, the prominent lawyer and head of the Syrian Organisation for Human Rights, Muhannad al-Hassani, was sentenced to a three year prison term under the same laws that were used to convict al-Abdallah and many other journalists and activists. Al-Hassani has represented numerous journalists and activists charged with crimes similar to that of al-Abdallah. According to Amnesty International, Al-Hassani had recently drawn public attention to both unfair trials of political prisoners before the Supreme State Security Court, and to a death that may have been caused by torture and ill treatment while in detention; he has allegedly held meetings with officials from foreign embassies to discuss human rights issues; and he has undertaken efforts to repeal the very law that was used to convict him. He is also the winner of the 2010 Martin Ennals Award, which recognizes the work of human rights defenders

The arrest and conviction has been condemned by numerous human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, Freedom House, Reporters Without Borders, the Syrian Human Rights League, the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the Syrian League for the Defence of Human Rights, and the National Organisation of Human Rights in Syria.

The arrest of al-Abdullah, al-Hassani, and other critics of the government are reportedly part of a broader campaign against political opponents that has intensified over the past two years. While several of the other people detained for being part of the Damascus Declaration Movement have recently been released, there are many other journalists and activists who are currently detained in Syria. Riad Seif, a well-known opposition figure who is ill with cancer, continues to be imprisoned despite calls by Western leaders to release him. In addition, the office of the Syrian Centre for Media and Free Expression was closed and placed under seal in September 2009.

Reporters Without Borders notes that Syria was ranked 165th out of 179 countries in their 2009 press freedom index, and that President Bashar Al-Assad is on their Internet Enemies list, as well as their list of “Predators of Press Freedom.”

For more information, please see:

AFP – Syria Jails Award-Winning Lawyer: Rights Group – 23 June 2010.

Amnesty International – Syrian Human Rights Leader Jailed for Three Years – 23 June 2010

BBC – Syria Jails Leading Rights Lawyer – 23 June 2010

Committee to Protect Journalists – Syria Detains Journalist Beyond Sentence – 21 June 2010

Human Rights Watch – Syria: Political Detainee, Sentence Ended, Held on New Charges – 19 June 2010

International Free Expression Exchange – Authorities Refuse to Release Journalist on Completion of Sentence – 18 June 2010

Kaleej Times (U.A.E.) – Syrian Political Prisoner Re-Arrested on Release – 18 June 2010

Radio Netherlands Worldwide – Syrian Political Prisoner Re-Arrested on Release – 18 June 2010

Syrian Human Rights Committee – Detainee Ali al-Abdullah Transferred to SSSC Before Completion of His Sentence – 4 April, 2010

By Alyxandra Stanczak
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

JERUSALEM, Israel – In response to discussion and comments about the Gaza embargo led by British Middle East envoy Tony Blair, and U.S. special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu testified in the foreign affairs and defense committees of the Knesset, Israel’s legislative branch, that the Gaza blockade should restrict fewer critical items. Netanyahu’s testimony came after Arab League prime minister Amr Moussa’s trip to Gaza this past week to meet with Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniyeh.

Netanyahu indicated last week that he supported increasing the amount and type of items that would no longer be subject to Israel’s blockade of Gaza. The former rules governing Israel’s blockade required all items entering Gaza be on an “allowed items” list. This rule was amended so that items not explicitly on a “banned items” list could be imported into Gaza.

Significantly,  building materials can now be shipped into Gaza.  The region’s infrastructure underwent intense damage during the 2008-09 three week Gaza War.  Roughly five percent of Gaza’s commercial and government buildings were destroyed, resulting in the loss of 189 buildings, including eleven factories and eight warehouses.  Furthermore, 6268 homes are estimated to have been damaged or destroyed during the war. These buildings have, largely, remained unrepaired since 2009 due to the difficulty in attaining necessary repair materials. As a result of the damage to these dwellings and the lack of available material to repair them, it is estimated that roughly 20,000 Gazanas have remained displaced after the war.

The Knesset’s decision to allow building materials into Gaza is the first stage in the process of  rebuilding infrastructure in the war-torn region.  Schools, hospitals, government buildings, and other critical institutions that were severely damaged, hope to begin rebuilding as soon as the materials become available in Gaza.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Israel to loosen Gaza blockade – 21 June 2010

BBC – Israel outlines changes to Gaza blockade – 21 June 2010

Ha’aretz – Decision to ease Gaza seige weakens Hamas –  21 June 2010

Reuters – U.N. agency calls for full lifting of Gaza blockade – 21 June 2010

United Nations Development Programme – Gaza – One Year After Report – 24 May 2010

Human Rights Watch – Israel: Investigate Unlawful Destruction in the Gaza War – 13 May 2010