Dear members of the Council Working Group on Mashreq/Maghreb,
Dear Madam,
Dear Sir,
On the 13th of April 2004, Mr. Aktham Naysse, President of the Committees for the Defence of
Democratic Liberties and Human Rights in Syria (CDF), was arrested in Lattakia by the Syrian Military
Security Services. For ten days, the Syrian authorities refused to provide any information about his
place of detention and did not allow him to receive medication for his illnesses, including kidney and
heart conditions. He was finally presented on the 22nd of April to the Supreme State Security Court in
Damascus and charged with 'carrying out activities contrary to the socialist system of the state' and
'opposing the objectives of the revolution', which could carry a sentence of up to 15 years in prison.
According to eyewitnesses, he was taken to court supported or possibly carried by two security officers:
he appeared weak and in miserable health. Following his arrest he reportedly suffered a minor stroke
and lost movement in his right hand and leg, and his capacity to speak may have been affected. He is
currently being held in solitary confinement at Saidnaya prison.
The Observatory for the protection of Human Rights Defenders (joint program of the International
Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)), Amnesty
International (AI) and the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN) demand for
immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Naysse.
In addition, two of Aktham Naysse’s colleagues in the CDF, Ahmad Khazim and Hassan Watfi, were
arrested on 15 March and 16 March respectively at Homs by the military security services. They were
then transferred to Damascus and were both arbitrarily detained for having participated in a peaceful
demonstration against Syria's state of emergency laws and for the release of political prisoners. They
were finally released on the 9th of May following a sit-in protest in Damascus.
Mr. Naysse and the CDF have been actively demanding implementation of democratic reforms in Syria
and an end to the emergency laws in the country. The arrest of Mr. Naysse, as well as the lack of
information about his whereabouts and the bad conditions of his detention constitute serious violations
of human rights.
Civil society groups, and particularly human rights organisations, have an important role to play in the
Syria’s development towards democracy and improved respect for human rights. Hence, the Syrian
authorities should halt their continuous harassment and repression of human rights defenders.
Meanwhile, the European Union is about to sign with Syria an association agreement. This agreement
includes a human rights clause (article 2) which reasserts the respect, by the parties, of basic principles
of democracy and human rights. The credibility of such an agreement would be at stake should
violation of human rights and repression against human right defenders and political opponents not be
stopped.
Moreover, the EU attaches a great importance to the question of human rights defenders, and the Irish
Presidency considers it a political priority. Hence, Mr. Naysse's case embodies a fundamental challenge
ahead of any EU policy on human rights defenders and is a concrete opportunity for the European
Union to enact its will to protect human rights defenders.
The Syrian authorities should be reminded that the arrest of Aktham Naysse and other human rights
defenders and political opponents is a breach of Syria’s obligations under international human rights
law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Syria is a state party.
The Observatory for the protection of Human Rights Defenders (joint program of FIDH and OMCT),
Amnesty International and EMHRN believe that the European Union is in a key position to address the
situation of Mr. Aktham Naysse to the Syrian authorities at the highest level, and should urge his
release.
We thank you for your consideration of this important matter. The Observatory for the protection of
Human Rights Defenders (joint program of FIDH and OMCT), Amnesty International and the EMHRN
will continue to monitor this case closely and would appreciate any information that you can give in
response to our concerns.

Eric Sottas
Director of the OMCT

Sidiki Kaba
President of the FIDH

Dick Oosting
Director
Amnesty International EU Office

Marc Schade-Poulsen
Director of the EMHRN

Contacts (Brussels offices) :
FIDH: Antoine Madelin- fidh.bruxelles@skynet.be OMCT: Laeticia Sedou- l.sedou@euro.omct.org
AI: Dick Oosting- doosting@aieu.be EMHRN: Sandrine Grenier- sgrenier@euromedrights.net