Ribal Al-Assad welcomes UK Government's continued commitment to human rights in Syria

On the 30th of November, Conservative peer, Lord Patten asked another question in the House of Lords about the human rights case of Syrian novelist Ms Raghdah Hassan, who has been detained by the Syrian regime.

The following is from Hansard:

Syria

Question

Asked by Lord Patten

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 9 November (WA 70), whether the United Kingdom Ambassador in Damascus will continue to press the Government of Syria to reveal the whereabouts and welfare of Ms Hassan; and whether she has been charged of any offence under their criminal code.[HL4240]

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Howell of Guildford): We continue to press the Syrian Government over the cases of human rights defenders, including the case of Ms Hassan, and call for the release of all who have been imprisoned solely for seeking to exercise their right to peaceful freedom of expression and freedom of association.

Commenting on Lord Howell's statement, ODFS Director Ribal Al-Assad said:

"I welcome Lord Patten's question and Lord Howell's statement confirming the UK Government's continued commitment to Ms Hassan's case and to human rights in Syria. I again call on the Syrian regime to release Ms Hassan and all other political prisoners immediately. I urge the regime to end its practice of arbitrary arrests and detention, and to allow freedom of expression and association."