U.S. Calls On Syria To Honor Human Rights Obligations

The White House released a statement by National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer, condemning Syria’s conviction and sentencing of two prominent human rights lawyers: Haitham Maleh on July 4, and Mohannad al-Hassani on June 23. The statement also condemned the re-arrest and charging of Ali Abdullah, a rights activist and member of the Damascus Declaration’s National Council. Characterizing the government’s actions against dissidents as “part of a worrying trend,” the statement called on the Syrian government “to meet its responsibilities under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and to end its practice of arbitrary arrests and detention and to permit its citizens freedom of expression and association.”

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued parallel remarks condemning Maleh’s conviction, stating that the ruling “is an example of Syria’s failure to comply with minimum international human rights standards. Convicting Maleh for exercising free speech and defending universal human rights sends a clear message to the world that Syria does not tolerate peaceful forms of expression.” Both sets of comments called on Syria to release its political prisoners.

Maleh has worked with Amnesty International since 1989, helped to establish the Syrian Human Rights Association (ADHS) in 2001, and was awarded the Dutch Geuzen Medal in 2006. Hasni is president of the Syrian Organization for Human Rights and was recently awarded the prestigious Martin Ennals Award. Both activists have called for a repeal of Syria’s emergency law and carried out a number of actions in defense human rights; they were charged with “weakening national morale.” Commentators are expressing particular concern that Maleh, age 79, may not be able to survive the three-year prison sentence.