Ribal Al-Assad welcomes UK Foreign Minister's intervention on human rights in Syria

Image: FCO's photostream

UK Minister for the Middle East Alistair Burt has raised concerns over human rights in Syria during a telephone conversation with the Syrian Ambassador to the UK.

Following the conversation, the Minister said:

"I am deeply dismayed to hear reports of the severe physical assault by a fellow prisoner on Muhannad al-Hassani, a prominent Syrian lawyer and Human Rights Defender, in Adra Prison last week. I am concerned that the Syrian authorities have failed to protect him. In addition any suggestion that the attack may have been ordered by the Syrian security services and that he remains at risk are disturbing.

"By condoning such abusive actions, Syria is doing nothing to repair its human rights record. It still detains both the oldest and youngest prisoners of conscience in the Arab world...We recognise and respect Syria’s importance in the region and desire to play a more prominent role, and these issues influence world opinion. Accordingly I call on the Syrian Government to meet its international responsibilities by ending its practice of arbitrary arrests and detention...and to release...all who have been imprisoned solely for seeking to exercise their right to peaceful freedom of expression and freedom of association.”

Commenting on the Minister's intervention, ODFS Director Ribal Al-Assad said:

"I welcome the intervention by the UK's Minister for the Middle East, Alistair Burt on human rights in Syria. I condemn the assault on Muhannad al-Hassani and call on the Syrian regime to release him and all other political prisoners immediately. The Syrian regime must begin to respect basic international human rights standards by ending its system of arbitrary arrests and detention. I urge the regime to allow freedom of expression and association. This will help Syria move towards genuine democracy and freedom in a peaceful and transitional way.”