Tactics and tools for the protection
of Human Rights Defenders

7 December 2011

Copenhagen, 6 December 2011. The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN) strongly condemns the arbitrary detention of Syrian human rights activist and blogger Razan Ghazzawi.

On 4 December, Razan Ghazzawi (31 years old) has been arrested at the Syrian-Jordanian border by the Syrian immigration police, while she was heading to Amman in order to attend the “Forum of defenders of freedom of expression in the Arab region” on her capacity of media officer of the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM), a non-recognized Syria-based human rights organization.

On her blog - that she uses under her real name-, Razzan Ghazzawi has been advocating for freedom of opinion in Syria and in the Arab region. Since the beginning of the unrest in Syria, Razzan has extensively covered violations of freedom of expression, including arbitrary arrests of journalists, bloggers and covered the political situation from a cultural perspective.

The EMHRN fears that Razzan Ghazzawi may be subjected to ill treatments or acts of torture. On 25 November, the United Nations Committee Against Torture expressed deep concern about numerous, consistent and substantiated reports and information about widespread rights violations in the country, including cases of torture, mutilation and ill-treatment of detainees, including women and children.

The EMHRN reminds Syria of its obligation to comply with the principles of international law and Conventions which it has freely adhered to, including the International Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which states that “Everyone has the right to liberty and security of person. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention” (Article 9.1).

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