los kurdos en Siria

Información sobre
las denominaciones
PYD, Yekiti y DAD.
Referencia a persecuciones
a las que se ven sometidos
los kurdos en Siria
Información sobre las denominaciones PYD, Yekiti y DAD. Referencia a
persecuciones a las que se ven sometidos los kurdos en Siria
Informe realizado por: Centro de Información, Recursos y Documentación de
Asilo y Migraciones de la Asociación Comisión Católica de Migración (ACCEM),
Pza de Santa María Soledad Torres Acosta, 2 2º Madrid 28004. Tfno: 91 532
74 78/9. Para cualquier información relativa a este informe contactar con
[email protected]
En los numerosos documentos revisados, se ha encontrado referencias a las
denominaciones PYD, Yekiti, y DAD. El problema ha sido el identificar los
partidos ya que:
Dentro de la denominación PYD se ha encontrado: Democratic Unión Party o
“Partîya Yekîtî ya Demokratîk”. , es decir que contiene igualmente la
denominación Yekiti, al igual que estos dos otros partidos: Kurdish Democratic
United Party in Syria o “Partîya Yekîtî ya Demokrat a Kurd li Sûriyê / Hizb alWahdah al-Dimuqrati al-Kurdi fi Suriyah” y el Kurdish United Party in Syria o
“Partîya Yekîtî ya Kurd li Sûriyê / Hizb al-Wahdah al-Kurdi fi Suriyah”. En
algunas ocasiones se habla simplemente del Democratic Party, no estando
claro si se refiere o no al PYD..... Respecto al DAD, es del que menos
referencias se han hallado1.
Tampoco hay unanimidad en cuanto al número de partidos kurdos existentes
en Siria. En parte es debido a que ninguno de ellos está registrado, ya que
deniega el gobierno su inscripción.
Según la página de Leftist Parties of the World sobre Syria (Last update: June 22,
2004) 2, los partidos kurdos en Siria son los siguientes :
PARTY
PERIODICALS
CONTACT
Dengê Kurdistan
e-mail
IDEOL.
INTERNAT.
ELECTION
Parl. '03
OTHER
-
originally f.
1957,
refounded in
2000, led by
Taufik
Hamdosch
-
f. 2003, led
by Ali
Muhammed
-
f. 1992,
alliance of
Kurdistan
Democratic
Party of
Kurdistan Syria other page
Partîya Demokrat
a Kurdistanê Sûriyê / Hizb alDimuqrati alKurdistani Suriyah
PDK-S
Democratic
Union Party
Partîya Yekîtî ya
Demokratîk
PYD
Kurdish
Democratic
Hevbendiya
Hevbendi
Demokrat a Kurd li
1
e-mail
e-mail
close to
Kongra-gel
Se ha señalado en rojo, con negrilla y subrayado las referencias específicas a algunas de las denominaciones
citadas para su rápida localización.
2
http://www.broadleft.org/sy.htm
Alliance in
Syria
Sûriyê / Al-Tahaluf
al-Dimuqrati alKurdi fi al-Suriyah
PDPK-S,
PDK/Al-Parti,
PHGK-S,
PCK-S,
PYDK-Yekiti
Kurdish
Democratic
Front in Syria
Bera Demokrat a BDKS
Kurd li Sûriyê /
Jabhah alDimuqrati al-Kurdi
fi-Suriyah
Kurdish
Democratic
Party in Syria The Party
Partîya Demokrat PDK-S/Al- Denge Kurd
a Kurdî li Sûriyê / Parti
Hizb al-Dimuqrati
al-Kurdi fi Suri - AlPartî
Kurdish
Democratic
Patriotic
Alliance
Al-Tahaluf alWatani alDimuqrati al-Kurdi
fi al-Suriyah
Kurdish
Democratic
United Party in
Syria
other page
Partîya Yekîtî ya
PYDK-S
Demokrat a Kurd li Yekîtî
Sûriyê / Hizb alWahdah alDimuqrati al-Kurdi
fi Suriyah
Yekîtî
Kurdish Left
Party of Syria
Partîya Çep a Kurd PCK-S
li Sûriyê / Hizb alYasari al-Kurdi fi
Suriyah
Riya Gel
e-mail
-
f. 2001,
alliance of
PDPK-S,
PCK-S,
PDK/Al-Partî
-
split from
PDK-S in
1965
-
e-mail
-
f. 1981 as
split from
PDK-Al Parti
-
f. 1977
Kurdish
Partîya Hevgirtina PHGK-S
People's Union Gelê Kurd li
Party
Sûriyê/ Hizb alIttihad al-Sha'bi alKurdi fi Suri
Ittihad al-Sha'b,
Deng
e-mail
-
f. 1980, led
by Selah
Bedreddîn
Kurdish
Progressive
Democratic
Party in Syria
Partîya Demokrat PDPK-S
a Pêsverû ya Kurd
li Sûriyê / Hizb alDimuqrati alTaqaddumi alKurdi fi Suriyah
Al-Dimuqrati
e-mail
-
f. 1976 as
split from
PDK-S, led
by Hamid
Darwish
Kurdish
Socialist Party
of Syria
Partîya Sosyalîst a PSK-S
Kurd li Sûriyê /
Hizb al-Ishtiraki alKurdi fi Suriyah
-
f. 1965
-
led by
Hussein
Saado
-
f. 2001 by
Muhammad
Marwan alZarki
-
founded by
former PKK
members
Kurdish United Partîya Yekîtî ya
PYK-S
Party in Syria
Kurd li Sûriyê /
other page
Hizb al-Wahdah alKurdi fi Suriyah
Hejmar
e-mail
National
Democratic
Coalition
Syrian
Democratic
Union Party
Hizb al-Ittihad alDimuqrati al-Suri
En otra página web, esta vez del Center for Research Libraries Middle East Political
Website Archiving Pilot Project (en el que participan varias Universidades
norteamericanas, como UCLA, Standford, Berkeley,..)3, se indican muestras de
páginas web políticas de oriente medio. En las concernientes a Siria, se citan algunas
kurdas:
“[......] Syria
[......] Parti Dimukrati Kurdi li Suri (Elparti) (al-Hizb al-Dimuqrati al-Kurdi
fi Suriya=al-parti) http://www.alparty.org/
3
http://www.lib.umich.edu/area/MELANotes/MELANotes78/politweb.pdf
Kurdish Democratic Unity Party in Syria (Partiya Yakiti ya Demoqrat
ya Kurd li Suriye (Yekiti)) = Hizb al-Wahdah al-Dimuqratii al-Kurdi
fi Suriya) http://www.yekiti.nl/ or http://www.yekiti.de/
Kurdish Democratic Party-Syria (Partiya Demokrat a Kurdistane- Suriye = Hizb Al-DimuqratialKurdistani-Suriyah) http://www.kdps.org/
Party of Modernity and Democracy (Hizb al-Hadathah wa-alDimuqratiyah li-Suriyah) http://www.hadatha4syria.com/
Nahda Party (Hizb al-Nahdah al-Watani al-Dimuqrati fi Suriyah) http://www.alnahdaparty.com/
Socialist Arab Democratic Union (Hizb al-Ittihad al-Ishtiraki al-‘Arabi
fi Suriya) http://www.ettihad.net/ [could not get into site with this address]
also, http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/ettihad/
Antiglobalisation Group Syria (Majmu‘at Munahadah al-‘Awlamah)
http://www.aggsyr.org/
Syrian Peoples Democratic Party (Hizb al-Sha‘b al-Dimuqrati al-Suri)
http://www.arraee.com/ [al-Ra’y is their online publication)
The Syrian Communist Party (Hizb al-Shuyu‘i al-Suri)
http://www.an-nour.com/
[al-Nur ia a publication of the Faysal group of the party]
Tajammu‘ al-Watani al-Dimuqrati fi Suriya
http://altagamoh.adimocraty.free.fr/
Kurdish Progressive Democratic Party (al-Hizb al-Dimuqrati AlTaqaddumi al-Kurdi fi Suriya)
http://kurdmerd.tripod.com/
Tahaluf al-Dimuqrati al-Kurdi fi Suriya
http://www.geocities.com/hebbendi/ [......]”
Por su parte el informe del Home Office, Operational Guidance Note: Syria, 19 June
2007.
Online.
UNHCR
Refworld,
available
at:
http://www.unhcr.org/cgibin/texis/vtx/refworld/rwmain?docid=46f11420d dice al referirse a los partidos ilegales
que el Partiya Yekîtî Demokrat a Kurdi li Sûrîyê (Kurdish Democratic Unity Party in
Syria) es uno de los partidos en el exilio:
“[......] In June 2004 Syria’s ruling Ba’ath Party decided to ban all unofficial political parties and groups which
had to that point been tolerated.33 Illegal parties or those in exile are:
• Party of Modernity and D emocracy
Kurdish illegal parties/parties in exile are:
• Partîya Demokrata Kurdî li Sûrîyê / Al-Partî (Kurdish Democratic Party in Syria /
The Party)
• Partîya Hevgirtina Gelê Kurd (Kurdish Popular Union Party in Syria)
• Partiya Yekîtî Demokrat a Kurdi li Sûrîyê (Kurdish Democratic Unity Party in
Syria)
• Reform Party of Syria34
In June 2005 Congress decided to allow new political parties to be formed, however it was expected
that parties based on religion or ethnicity were likely to remain banned[......]
Respecto al PYD: corresponde a las siglas del Partîya Yekîtî ya Demokratîk. Existe
una página principal del partido en:
http://www.pyd.se/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1889&mode=thread&or
der=0&thold=0
En dicha página se denuncian arrestos, desapariciones de miembros del partido. Esta
información, al ser facilitada por el propio partido, hay que tomarla con precauciones.
Se extrae parte de su contenido:
“[......] Balance of Human Rights Violence in Syria
July-December 2006
The list of arrested and abducted Kurds in Syria during the last six months (most of them are
members and supporters of the Party of Democratic Union –PYD)
Arrests in the month of July, 2006
1.
The arrest of the Kurdish woman Fidan Kambar Abdel-Rahman by the State Security
Branch. She was born in Aleppo in 1972. At precisely 9:30 am on Sunday, 2-7-2006, in (Cape
eye) she was arrested without any warrant or motives. The fate of this Kurdish woman is
unknown.
1.
Arrest of the Kurdish woman, Nobhar Mustafa on 472006, on the Syrian-Lebanese
borders without any legal process.
1.
On 14-7-2006 and in Allapo city the Kurdish activists of PYD (Isa Hasso from Qamishii)
and (Mohamed Abdel Kader of a column) have been arrested after the memorial of martyrs
meeting. Their fate is unknown.
1.
On Friday 14 July 2006, in the city of Kamshlo, the Syrian Air force security arrested 28
people on charges of distributing leaflets after the torture and confession of the Kurdish activists
Jamil Issa and his son against their colleagues.
The names of colleagues beaten and tortured and the names of some detainees:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Mullah Haji Ibrahim
Mohamed Sabri
Abdel-Aziz Ben Mohamed Ali Yusuf
Kelal Hamudi Khalef
Ibrahim Sheikh Ali
Wejdi Bete Aziz
Del Briin Khalef
Ibrahim Haji Eshed
Ferhan Ckeke
5– Disappearance of the Kurdish student Anwar Mahmoud on July 15, 2006.
Arrests in the Month of August 2006:
1.
Kurdish citizens mutton Mustafa bin Muhammad, and his mother Fahima Charaf were
abducted by the air force security on July 19, 2006, afternoon in Efrin, The two car used in this
abduction are without Syrian License plate. Mutton Mustafa was born on July 3, 1954 in the
village of Cave Shkatka of hand XIE in Afrin. Their fate is unknown.
2.
The branch of the State Security forces in the city of Kamishlo in the province of Hasaka
on 18 2006, arrested five persons without any justification, namely:
o
Ahmed Saleh Yousef
o
Feremez Said
o
Reber Asadi Noureddine Klo
o
Mahmoud klo
o
Shabal Ahmed klo
Also Ms. Newroz Nebi Talas was fired from her work in Aleppo city for security reasons.
1.
The Kurdish youth Blend Farhad Drei'i killed after a chase by the security police on 12
82006. He left his relatives house at night riding his motorbike when the police chased and killed
him.
2.
Syrian security forces have arrested the activist Ali Shihabi on 18 82006 after they
summoned him for investigation in the morning.
3.
The criminal court in the province of Raqqa on August 22, 2006, gave death penalty for
Walid Jarah and the all of Abdel Aziz Jarah, Sheikh Hassan Ismail, Shaaban Alalim, Hassan
Shaaban, Necdet Chacho-Farouq and surgeon-Prince Musho sentenced to death in absentia.
4.
Security military forces arrested the activist in the organization of the Kurdish Women's
Union Stara Naima Bint Mohammad Abdu and her mother Zainab. On Tuesday, 29 August 2006,
security forces raided the home of her sister, when activist Naima was visiting then.
5.
In the last week of the month of August after midnight, number of vehicles, backed by
some 20 to 30 armed security forces, raided 10 houses and arrested many persons illegally
without due process. These raids conducted without any respect to human rights laws and the
inhabitant of these houses were treated badly.
Arrests in the month of September 2006:
1.
The book store of Armitage owned by Jihad Gamal was closed and sealed on 3 9 2006
by the order of the governor of Aleppo Mr. Tamer Alheje on the recommendation of the Political
Security Branch, and because of the lack of a permit for the library to have Kurdish cultural books.
2.
On September 29, 2006, on 8:30 a.m., Hasan Nuri Mirzo (age fifteen years), Khaled
Sheikho, (age twenty years), Sheikho’s brother (aged eighteen years) and a fourth young man
was with them were arrested by the security authorities when they were about to leave the home,
located in a suburb of Zorava.
The arrests in the month of October 2006:
The Syrian security forces suppressed and dispersed a peaceful protest and arrested several
demonstrators. This protests called for by political activists and civil and human rights
organizations in Bharat on Thursday, 5102006. Names of the arrested Syrian citizens are:
o
Lawyer and activist Mustafa Chairman known as a companion of the Kurdish for the
Defense of Human Rights in Syria.
o
Mohieddin midst member of the Committees for the Defense of Democratic Freedoms
and Human Rights.
o
Joan Verso member of the Committees for the Defense of Democratic Freedoms and
Human Rights in Syria
o
Lawyer and activist Professor Faisal Badr
o
Ahmed Mohammed Abu Dzar
o
Ammar Mohammed Saleh Farh
o
Ahmed Abdel-Halim Ali
o
Abdel-Rahman Haji Murad
o
Doctor veterinary Hassan Abdel Seif Eddin
o
Secondary student Al Sheikh Mohamed
o
Cidhan Mullah Osman
o
Daoud Mahmoud Saleh
o
Mustafa Ismail
o
Lukman Mustafa
o
The military security branch in the town of Afrin on 15 10 2006, arrested a group of
people for unknown reasons. These arrests are arbitrary arrests carried out by Syrian security
forces, the persons arrested are:
·
·
·
Mohamed Ben Hanan Prim and his mother Fahima Charaf generate 1955
Esmat Sheikho and mother
Aslan Arslan, and mother, Zakia, born 1974
The sub-intelligence and intelligence of the air force in Syria issued a warrant for the arrest of
Sheikh Khaznoi son of Kurdish Mashouk Khaznoi who was assassinated more than a year and a
half ago, if he enters the Syrian territory.
Security authorities arrested again activist and one of the signatories of the Damascus-Beirut Eisa
from his home at four in the evening, Monday. This indictment issued by the new criminal
investigative judge and charity judge assignment against Issa.
Security forces patrol on the night of 31/10/2006, arrested many Kurdish citizens without any
justification in the city of Afrin, they are:
·
Mr. Mustafa Al-Shifa Qunbur
·
Mr. Osman Osman Medanki
·
Mr. Hassan Omar Habo Akps.
Arrests in the month of November 2006:
1. On the evening of 16/11/2006, a patrol of joint operation of the sub-political security and the
security of the State, consisting of six cars and about 30 members in the town of Afrin raided the
homes of Khalid Rashid Rashid, Mohamed Moussa Hamko and his son Omathan Mohamed
Moussa Hamko of the village (the battlefield) of Raju, and arrested them immediately. They have
been transferred to the Political Security Branch in the province of Aleppo directly without any
reasons and what happened to them is unknown from the time of detention up to this moment.
2. On 19/11/2006, at night, a patrol belong to the Political Security Branch of the City of Afrin in
Aleppo province raided the home of the Kurdish citizen (Muslim Mustafa Couto) from the village
(the Battlefield) of (Raju), 30 armed security members have participated and arrested him without
mentioning any reasons. these arrests are barbaric and in-discriminatory.
3. Security forces patrols of the political branch and state security in the province of Aleppo
arrested a group of citizens in the area of Afrin in violation of the law and the constitution without
any charges, they are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Ismat Sheikho.
Fawzi Sheikho
Aslan ...
Mohamed Hanan Prim
Othman Othman
Rashid Khalid Rashid
Mohamed Moussa Hamko
Othman Mohamed Moussa Hamko
Muslim Mustafa Couto
Rizan a columnist
They were arrested and sent to unknown places. These arrests are part of series of arrests
carried out by security agencies in the province of Aleppo and especially by political security
forces.
4. Security political forces in Efrin city on 24/11/2006, arrested a member of the Democratic
Union Party activist Nidal Hussein, the son of Ismail and Bahia, who was born in Hasaka province
in 1973. He was arrested by the political security forces on the 24th of this month at seven p.m.,
we did not know his fate until now.
5. In a secondary school dedicated to Escandron and located in the neighborhood of Ashrafieh in
the province of Aleppo, a patrol units of the security forces stopped and inspected students to
ensure that they do not have anything in violation of the law (!). On Thursday, 30/11/2006 the
security unites arrested the Kurdish student Jamal Bhusan, in the neighborhood of Sheikh
Mqsood al garbi located in the governorate of Aleppo, with Kurdish majority population. On the
same say at 2:00 a.m. after midnight the political security forces raided the house of the Kurdish
citizens Rashid Khalow, after they broke the gate and windows of his house, they beat him up
severely, arrested and sent him to prison. When Safqan Khelow Jr. objected to these unlawful
and inhuman practices, the
political security forces unit arrested him and he was taken to
prison.
6- In the evening of 28 November 2006, at eight a.m. the State security forces in the area of
Afarin raided a residence and arrested Patriot-Kurdish woman activist Asmahan Madan. She is
the daughter of Ali and Mouloda Mohamed >from the village of Kukan in the area Afarin, and she
was born on May 25,1970. She is active in the ranks of the organization of the Federation of Star.
It is a women organization affiliated with the Democratic Union Party-PYD. This woman
organization is to take care of women issues and problems affecting them on all levels; social,
intellectual, cultural and political.
The arrests in the month of December 2006:
1- The security forces in the town of Afrin chased the Kurdish citizens (Ahmed Khalil Mustafa
Kalo), after pursuing him for a long distance and shot at him, he almost lost his life, and they
arrested him. Two days after the incident, they arrested the Kurdish citizens Mostafa Khalil Kalo
and Mahmoud Mamo from Afrin, they are in custody so far, without any reasons. Noteworthy is
that the fate of Mustafa and Mahmoud is unknown until now, they have not been confirmed that
they were arrested. A Kurdish citizen from Hanan Mannan Kopk village of the city of Efrin was
arrested. He was in Afrin market (Bazar) to purchase his needs, when policemen saw a necklace
of Kurdistan flag hanging around his neck, they attacked and arrested him on 5/12/2006, then he
was transferred directly to Aleppo and remains in custody so far.
On the evening of 7/12/2006, the Syrian authorities released the citizens Hanan Mohammed Abu
Prim of Karihtatar and Aslan Arslan from the village of Jammu. They have been arrested by the
security political forces of Aleppo governorate on the 14/10/2006, for unknown reasons.
2- Arrests continued in Afrin and especially in the village "field ", where the security political forces
raided the Kurdish home of "Mohamed Sheikho Abu Salah " on the evening of 14/12/2006, at two.
They opened fire, then arrested him and his son. Next morning they released the son and kept
the father in detention, the reason for the arrest is unknown.
3-In the early morning hours on 20/12/2006, Aleppo city has witnessed large campaign of crack
down by the troops of the military security on the houses of many Kurdish citizens, from three
a.m. to six a.m. This happened in a neighborhood mostly inhabited by Kurds. Furthermore the
security military forces using jeeps military vehicles surrounded many houses, they raided the
houses of many Kurdish citizens, inspected their homes and turned them upside down, without
any legal charges or clarifying what they were looking for. They have violated all civil and human
rights of the Kurdish citizens.
The following are some names of persons whom their homes were raided:
·
Ali Rustum, in the eastern neighborhood of Sheikh Maqsood was taken by the security
military forces
·
Abdo Rustum, in the eastern neighborhood of Sheikh Maqsood is a nephew of Ali Rustam.
He is in his latest year at the Faculty of Arts-English literature at the University of Aleppo. The
security forces seized his computer and many of his belongings and arrested him immediately
·
Mostafa Ibrahim nehsan in the eastern neighborhood of Sheikh Maqsood
·
Hval-bin Ibrahim Mustafa nehsan, in the eastern neighborhood of Sheikh Maqsood
·
Sulaiman Jaafar, in the neighborhood of Ashrafieh, many of his personal property were
seized
·
Abdo-Bakr, in the neighborhood of Ashrafieh
·
GvanAli, in the neighborhood of Ashrafieh has been arrested. He is a graduate from the
school of Arts-history and archeology.
4. Shaaban Ahmed Mamo on 21122006 was arrested. His mother is Soleil. He was born in 1968
in the village of Abtala in Efrin. He is married and the father of three children. He is a singer with
nickname Shahiban. He has been summoned by the military security last Wednesday and on
Thursday by the Political Security forces.[......] “
Existe un informe de búsqueda de información sobre el PYD elaborado por ACCORD4
en agosto del 2006: En el se comienza afirmando la dificultad de discernir si
denominaciones parecidas hacen referencia al mismo partido PYD. Se refiere a que
otro partido, el también kurdo al-Wifaq Party, parece haberse separado del PYD.
También se refiere a conexiones entre el PYD y el PKK. Se indican arrestos,
detenciones sufridas por miembros del PYD o de otras posibles denominaciones del
mismo (Democratic Union Party y otras).
“[......] 08 August 2006
Democratic Unity Party or Party of Democratic Unity known as PYD
a-5004 (ACC-SYR-5004)
Among the sources consulted by ACCORD there could be found information with the following
party names: “Democratic Union Party”, also called PYD, “Syrian Democratic Union Party”,
4
http://www.ecoi.net/file_upload/response_en_66767.html
“Unity Democratic Kurdish Party“, “Syrian Kurdish Democratic Unity Party” (SKDUP),
“Kurdish Democratic Union Party”, “Kurdish Democratic United Party in Syria”. From the
sources consulted it cannot be concluded which of these parties are identical and which are
not:
5
In its report from September 2005 Amnesty International (AI) mentions the attempt to
assassinate Nadeem Yusef, member of the Kurdish al-Wifaq Party. According to AI, this attempt
was most probably the work of the rival Democratic Union Party, known as PYD:
“Nadeem Yusef (m), aged 37, Kurdish political activist and journalist
Kurdish political activist Nadeem Yusef survived an assassination attempt on 10 September,
allegedly carried out by a rival Kurdish political party. It is feared that there will be further attempts
on his life, but the authorities have done nothing to protect him. Nadeem Yusef is a senior
member of the Kurdish al-Wifaq Party, and responsible for its media and cultural activities. On 10
September a bomb planted on his motorbike exploded as he was riding, causing serious injuries
to his back. He was treated in hospital in Aleppo, but reportedly still has many pieces of shrapnel
embedded in his body.
According to a range of sources, including Syrian journalists and Kurdish human rights activists,
the assassination attempt was most probably the work of the Democratic Union Party (known as
the PYD), possibly working with the Syrian authorities. The al-Wifaq Party has apparently
broken away from the PYD, and this is believed to have led to the assassination of one party
member, Kamiran Muhammad, in mid-August 2005, and attacks on several other party members.
There are further concerns that Nadeem Yusef may have been put at higher risk because of
criticism of the Syrian authorities expressed on 26 August by his brother Hanif, in exile in the
Netherlands, in a programme on politics in Syria broadcast by a London-based satellite TV
channel. Nadeem Yusef is now reportedly sheltering in a house in the village of 'Osmaneleh, near
Aleppo in the north of the country. The house is said to be surrounded and kept under constant
surveillance by PYD agents. People believed to be connected with the PYD reportedly took
pictures of the family car which collected Nadeem Yusef from hospital.” (AI, 22 September 2005)
AI in the same report provides background information on Kurdish political parties operating in
Syria, mentioning also PYD. According to the text, PYD have members who were previously
members of the Kurdish Workers´ Party, known as PKK. It also states that PYD has closer links to
the Syrian security sources:
“Syria's Kurdish population, which numbers between 1.5 and two million, is the second-largest
ethnic group in the country, behind Arabs. They suffer from discrimination because of their
ethnicity, including restrictions on the use of the Kurdish language and culture. There are about
20 Kurdish political parties operating in Syria. No independent political parties are authorised in
the country. Both the PYD and al-Wifaq have members who were previously members of the
Kurdish Workers' Party, previously and more famously known as the PKK, an armed Kurdish
group operating in both Turkey and Syria. According to sources close to the party, al-Wifaq is
committed to non-violence, and the PYD has closer links to the Syrian security forces. The Syrian
security forces have allegedly infiltrated Syrian Kurdish parties in order to, amongst other things,
foster divisions between them.” (AI, 22 September 2005)
The report continues with the names of arrested members of the Unity Democratic Kurdish Party.
No information could be found whether the Unity Democratic Kurdish Party is identical with the
Democratic Union Party (known as the PYD):
“Kurdish sources have revealed that the number of Syrian Kurdish detainees is increasing day
after day. Sources close to the Unity Democratic Kurdish Party have also revealed that the
Syrian authorities have arrested many of its members, supporters and sympathizers this year
(2005). In accordance with these sources, 56 Kurds have been detained this year without being
transferred to court.” (AI, 22 September 2005)
In its Annual Report on Human Rights Situation in Syria 2006 covering the period from June 2005
to May 2006, the Syrian Human Rights Committee (SHRC) mentions that security authorities
arrested a large number of members and supporters of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party
during 2005:
„On the 16th of February 2006, security authorities arrested the Syrian Kurd Faheem Sheikho (31
years old) from Afreet village in Dirbasiyya district, upon his arrival at Damascus Airport from
Germany. Security Authorities also arrested a large number of members and supporters of the
Kurdish Democratic Union Party during 2005 (list of names available on the SHRC website).
According to the Party, 56 of those arrested are yet to be referred to the judiciary, while 4 minors
were previously arrested and referred to the Primary Investigation Judge in Aleppo. Three Kurds
were also arrested in Aleppo, while 42 were detained by security authorities and referred to the
SSSC in Damascus, bringing the total number of detainees this year alone to 105. The SHRC is
5
Se puede ver dicho informe en español en la página:
http://asiapacific.amnesty.org/library/Index/ESLMDE240882005?open&of=ESL-346
satisfied that the numbers of Kurdish detainees is far greater than that, as a large number of
supporters of the same party were also detained in March of last year, 45 of whom remain in
detention until now. Further, the lawyer Soubast Sheikh Zada was arrested and detained at the
Political Security in Aleppo, during the peaceful candle march on the 20th of March 2006 which
security authorities oppressed.“ (SHRC, 8 August 2006, p. 18)
The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) in its report from July 2005 mentions that “Mr.
Ismail Oussi (Kurdish Democratic Union Party) is still held without charge.” (OMCT, 4 July
2005, p. 40)
Amnesty International (AI) states in its Annual report from May 2006, that there were many
political prisoners in Syria in 2006 including members of banned political parties. Among the
banned parties also the Kurdish Democratic Union Party is mentioned:
“Scores of people were arrested during the year for political reasons, including tens of prisoners
of conscience. At least several hundred people, including prisoners of conscience, remained
imprisoned for political reasons. Scores were brought to trial before the SSSC and Military Courts,
all of which suffer from a gross lack of independence and impartiality. Many of those facing trial
were suspected members or affiliates of banned political parties such as the Kurdish
Democratic Union Party, the Muslim Brotherhood, Hizb al-Tahrir, and the pro-Iraqi Arab
Socialist Democratic Ba’th Party.” (AI, 23 May 2006)
An Article from April 2004 published by the Middle East Intelligence Bulletin (MEIB) confirms the
connection between the Kurdish Democratic Party and PKK stating that it is a pro-PKK party:
“When the main Kurdish factions issued a statement declaring that there should be no public
celebration of Kurdish New Year on March 21 out of respect for the dead, Syrian officials
persuaded the pro-PKK Kurdish Democratic Union Party (KDUP) to hold an officially-sanctioned
celebration in Qamishli that attracted several hundred participants, some of them carrying posters
of Bashar Assad. Syrian media then pointed to the festivities as an indication that all was well in
Qamishli.” (MEIB, April 2004)
An article published on KurdishMedia.com in May 2006 states that the Kurdish opposition in Syria
is fragmented into many political parties, that can be categorised into 4 main blocs. PYD is also
mentioned:
“The biggest issue that the Kurdish movement in Syria is there no a unified voice to speak on the
behalf of Kurdish opposition in Syria. The Kurdish opposition in Syria is fragmented into many
Kurdish political parties, and you can categorize them into 4 main blocs. The Itihalof, or Alliance,
bloc includes four political parties. This bloc is asking for cultural rights. The next major bloc is the
Jabha, or Front. They are asking for cultural rights and some local governance. The other two
major blocs are the Azadi (Freedom) Party and the Yeketi Party. They are independent of the
Itihalof and Jabha. The Mustaqbal (Future) Party, Kurdistani Democratic Party, and the
Democratic Union Party (PYD) will also be attending.” (KurdishMedia.com, 27 May 2006)
According to Kongra-Gel news bulletin, PYD (called in this source The Party of the Democratic
Alliance) announced an “Explanation over the political situation in Syria to the second
anniversary of the rebellion of March 12, 2004“. In this explanation is presented also the PYD
conception of a political solution of the Kurdish question in Syria:
„The Party of the Democratic Alliance and all other Kurdish political forces want to achieve a
peaceful and democratic solution to the Kurdish problem. This is in the context of a national unity,
in which Kurds, Arabs and all other minorities live together equally. We request to waive all
special measures against Kurds, to return the deprived rights and to make compensation,
recognize the existence of the Kurds by the constitution and protect their rights as the second
largest group in this country and above all recognize their language. Since the establishment of
the Party of the Democratic Alliance, their cadre suffer under terror and pursuit by the security
forces. One of the members, Ahmad Hussein Hussein Joudi, was arrested, tortured and killed,
while he was on his way on behalf of the party. Many of its members were arrested and still in
prisons of the Syria. Zeinab Schams El Dien was recently arrested went into a hunger strike.
The Party of the Democratic Alliance requests a fair solution to the Kurdish problem. This means
the recognition of the existence of the Kurds on their own land, to abolish discrimination and to
treat Kurds as citizens of first class. The party stresses to improve the relationship with the Arabs
and with the Arab oppositions in order to develop a democratic modern country. In this, all citizens
are to find their place, regardless to which group of peoples, to which religion or to which political
group they belong.
The Party of the Democratic Alliance represented its conception to a political solution of the
Kurdish question in Syria with following points:
1. the acknowledgment of the Kurdish nation by the constitution,
2. the reinforcement of the organized forces and the participation of Kurds in all national
institutions.
3. to guarantee the freedom of political parties and waive their prohibition,
4. to enable the Kurds to get into the municipal administration in Kurdish areas in their control
5. the acknowledgment of the Kurdish language and the Kurdish culture,
6. to guarantee the freedom of press in Kurdish language and strengthen it by using national
forces,
7. the establishment of Kurdish cultural centers and the protection of the historical monuments.
8. to waive the so-called special people census and the plan "the Arab belt", to give the
agricultural land back to their original owners. Further, to solve the problems of the so-called
foreigners and to give them the Syrian nationality. Furthermore, the victims of the terror must be
compensated.
9. the Party of the Democratic Alliance considers its own development as a component of the
development of the democracy in Syria.
10. to make the Kurdish language to Kurds available at schools,
11. Places, in which predominantly Kurds live (e.g. Kamischli, Ifrien, Kobani) must be regarded as
Kurdish. The cities, which were given Arab names should be given back their old Kurdish names.“
(Party of the Democratic Alliance, March 2006, p. 6-7)
The PYD published the main characteristic of the party on their official website:
“The name of the organization: the party of democratic unity. The abbreviation: PYD.
The organization identity and the party’s goals:
The party of democratic unity PYD adopts the theory of social democracy aechology and gender
liberty, and the democratic unity, the democratic socialism is the strategy for its struggle work line.
It is a national publican political party, refuse the chauvinistic concepts and attitudes, and believe
in equality and the freedom of belief. And adopts the public legal compete as a basis to deal with
the cases recognized in the program by democratic ways and political debate. And concentrate
on the social classes and categories, and the social civil organizations in Syria, specially the
exerted and educated classes on the basis of free citizenship principle. Youth and women occupy
the advanced position in it.
To solving the Kurdish question on the basis of democratic change in Syria. And organizing the
society in west Kurdistan on a confederal democratic basis, struggling for brotherhood among
nations and ethnics in a free united framework, supporting the liberty democratic struggle in all
Kurdistan parts, and solving the question of national union on the basis of Kurdistan democratic
confederation without narrowing the political borders, And working for the democratic middle-east
union confederation, moving forward to build the aechological democratic gender library society
as a part of the democratic communist humanity.” (PYD, no date)
To see more information about the party, e.g. political programme, sociological goals, economical
targets, news, etc., visit the official web page:
www.pyd.se
An article published on kurdishinfo.com: from March 2006 states that the chairman of the PYD is
Fuad Omer:
“Fuad Omer, the chairman of Pro- Kurdish Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD) by making a call
to Kurdish parties wanted not to remain silent against killing of 14 members of HPG in the
operation conducted by TSK. Omer, the chairman of PYD, who made a written statement ,
condemned killing of 14 members of HPG in the operation conducted by TSK. Omer who made
call of union to all parties, wante not to remain silent about what was lived. Omer who also
evaluated celebrations of Newroz which thousands of people participated stated that it is the
message of union and Kurdish Peopel's Leader Abdullah Ocalan is the willpower of Kurds.“
(kurdishinfo.com, 28 March 2006)
In a talk entry at Wikipedia it is mentioned that, among other parties and organisations, the PYD is
a part of the PKK:
“PYD (Partiya Yekitiya Demokratik - Democratic Union Party), active in "western Kurdistan"
(Syrian Kurdistan).“ (Wikipedia, no date)
The Human Rights Foundation of Turkey reported in its Human Rights Report on Turkey
November – December 2004 that Himmet Toprak, official of the Democratic Union Party (PYD)
was killed together with Meysa Baki, executive of Kongra-Gel and three other men on 29
November 2004 in an armed attack on their way from Mossoul to Syria:
“On 29 November Meysa Baki, executive of Kongra-Gel, Himmet Toprak, official of the
Democratic Union Party (PYD), Zekeriya Ibrahim, Nebo Ali and Haci Cumali were killed in an
armed attack on their way from Mossoul to Syria near Shengal town. Meysa Baki, Zekeriya
Ibrahim, Haci Cumali and Nebo Ali were buried in Kandil on 4 December. Himmet Toprak was
taken to Turkey and buried in Malazgirt district (Mus).” (Human Rights Foundation of Turkey,
November – December 2004)
In the list of leftist parties of the world in Syria three Kurdish democratic union parties are
mentioned, the Democratic Union Party founded in 2003, the Syrian Democratic Union Party and
the :
“Democratic Union Party - Partîya Yekîtî ya Demokratîk PYD: close to Kongra-gel, [founded in]
2003, led by Ali Muhammed [...]
Syrian Democratic Union Party - Hizb al-Ittihad al-Dimuqrati al-Suri: founded by former PKK
members [...]
Kurdish Democratic United Party in Syria - Partîya Yekîtî ya Demokrat a Kurd li Sûriyê / Hizb alWahdah al-Dimuqrati al-Kurdi fi Suriyah - PYDK-S
Yekîtî, [founded in] 1981 as split from PDK-Al Parti” (Leftist Parties of the World, last updated 22
June 2004) [......]”
Respecto a la Organización DAD: el informe de Human Rights Watch, No Room to
Breathe: State Repression of Human Rights Activism in Syria, 17 October 2007.
Volume 19, No. 6(E). Online. UNHCR Refworld, available at: http://www.unhcr.org/cgibin/texis/vtx/refworld/rwmain?docid=4717071c2 se refiere ésta como uno de las 3
organizaciones de derechos humanos kurdas que existen separadamente. Señala que
en kurdo es “Justicia”, en árabe Arabic al-Munathama al-Kurdiyya lil-Difa` `an
Huquq al-Insan wal-Hurriyat al-`Ama fi Suria . Refiere, de boca de uno de sus
miembros fundadores, las dificultades que tuvo la organización en sus comienzos para
celebrar la reunión de fundación de la organización, ya que temían arrestos. Indica las
dificultades que tienen este tipo de organizaciones para poder inscribirse, siendo
rechazados finalmente.
“[......]Three separate Kurdish human rights organizations exist today: MAF (“Right” in Kurdish,
known in Arabic as al-Lijna al-Kurdiyya lil Difa` `an Huquq al-Insan); DAD (“Justice” in Kurdish,
in Arabic al-Munathama al-Kurdiyya lil-Difa` `an Huquq al-Insan wal-Hurriyat al-`Ama fi
Suria); and the Kurdish Committee for Human Rights (al-Lijna al-Kurdiyya li-Huquq al-Insan).
Kurdish groups operate even more secretly than their Arab counterparts. According to a founding
member of DAD, “it took us a year and a half before having our founding meeting. During that
initial period, only four names of members were known. We were terrified of being arrested.”
Despite an increase in the number of human rights groups in Syria, their situation remains very
precarious. Activists continue to operate illegally without institutional structures. Personality
clashes and suspicion that other activists are informants for the security services often lead
organizations to break into multiple offshoots [......]Denial of application without justification:
Despite the extrajudicial role of the security services and the shortcomings of the current
legislation, many human rights activists have tried to register their organizations by following the
required steps. Their efforts met a bureaucracy that failed to apply its own regulations.
In at least one case, involving the Kurdish Committee for Human Rights (Al-Lijna Al- Kurdiyya Li
Huquq al-Insan), MoSAL refused even to accept a group’s registration documents. According to
one activist who went to submit the organization’s paperwork, “When the clerk saw ‘Kurdish’ in
the name of the organization, he refused to accept the demand. I knew beforehand that our
application would be rejected. I did not expect that they would not even accept our documents.”In
other instances MoSAL accepted the request to register but failed to respond within the stipulated
60-day timeframe. At that point, the law requires MoSAL to consider the association as registered
de facto and to then publish the formation
documents of the association in the official registry. However, MoSAL has refused to act in
accordance with the law to recognize the registration of these associations[......]”
Sin embargo, otro informe de The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network 6 y
también la World Organization Against Torture - OMCT 7 se refieren a la DAD como:
Kurdish organization for the Defence of Human Rights and Fundamental
Freedoms in Syria (DAD)
“Moreover, in the evening of November 1, 2007, the Syrian government also prevented several
other Syrian human rights defenders from leaving the Damascus International Airport and
therefore from participating in the above-mentioned workshop. These are: Mr. Radeef Mustafa,
Chairman of the Kurdish Human Rights Committee, Mr. Mustafa Ouso, Head of the Kurdish
organization for the Defence of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in Syria (DAD),
and Mr. Hasan Masho, a board member of the Organisation of Human Rights in Syria (Mav), as
6
http://www.euromedrights.net/pages/487/news/focus/48833
http://www.omct.org/index.php?id=&lang=eng&actualPageNumber=1&articleSet=Appeal&articleId=73
89
7
well as Mr. Khalil Maatouk and Mr. Muhannad Al Husni, human rights lawyers (For more
information, see Observatory Press Release, dated November 7, 2007)”.
Danish Refugee Council, Syria: Kurds, Honour-killings and Illegal Departure, April
2007. 5/2007. Online. UNHCR Refworld, available at: http://www.unhcr.org/cgibin/texis/vtx/refworld/rwmain?docid=46dd2a5e2
En este informe se da información bastante detallada sobre número de partidos kurdos
en Siria, acontecimientos que han llevado al arresto de kurdos (especialmente los
hechos ocurridos en Qamishli), perfil de kurdos que podrían ser arrestados, etc. Las
versiones difieren según la fuente consultada: generalmente embajadas, miembros de
ONGs, representantes kurdos, abogados, .... Se hace referencia al partido Yekiti:
“[......] 3.4 Prosecution and Persecution
3.4.1 Political Parties and Human Rights Organizations
Several sources, among others Kurdish sources, representatives from local human rights organizations
and an Embassy in Damascus (3), stated that there are no laws in Syria regulating political parties and
non-governmental organizations. For that reason the Kurdish political parties and human rights
organizations are not officially registered in Syria and hence not legal. Some sources observed that
technically even the ruling Baath party is not legal. Syria has been under emergency law since 1963.
Representative of 3 Human Rights Organizations told the delegation that formally their organizations
have the right to be officially registered, but the authorities have turned down their applications for
registration. The sources said that they have appeals pending against this decision.
An attorney (2) told the delegation that NGOs and political parties can apply for registration, but the
applications are always turned down. According to the source the Syrian Constitution does not allow
the registration of political parties and NGOs.
A Kurdish representative (4) said that the Kurdish parties are well organized and enjoy large support
from the Kurdish population.
A Kurdish representative (2) told the delegation that the existence of Kurdish parties is well-known to
the authorities. To a certain extent the authorities turn a blind eye to the political activities of the
Kurdish parties, but sometimes Kurdish activists are arrested.
An Embassy in Damascus (2) said that political activities of the Kurdish parties are tolerated by the
authorities to a certain extent. However, arrests of Kurdish activists do occur.
An Embassy in Damascus (1) said that the existence of the Kurdish parties is generally tolerated by the
authorities, even though political activists may risk arrest. However, the source stressed that the Syrian
branch of the PKK and a splinter group of this party are not tolerated by the authorities.
According to an Embassy in Damascus (3) there are 14 Kurdish political parties in Syria. Among these
the source considered the Kurdish Yekiti Party in Syria, the Kurdish Azadi Party in Syria and the
Future Current more activist and confrontational than the other parties.
An Embassy in Damascus (1) said that all parties are illegal but tolerated. There are 13 Kurdish parties
in Syria. According to the source, these parties fall in two groups: 1) A coalition of Kurdish parties
which conduct a moderate policy and 2) The Kurdish Yekiti Party in Syria and Kurdish Azadi Party in
Syria, which are more radical.
A local observer estimated that there are about 30 Kurdish parties in Syria today.
3.4.2 Political Activities
A large majority of sources pointed out that there are political prisoners in Syria. Political activists
considered to be against the regime may risk arrest.
A Kurdish representative (3) observed that the human rights situation generally is bad. The source
pointed to factors such as the emergency law in Syria, detention without trial, the existence of special
courts and the absence of basic democratic rights.
An attorney (1) estimated that there are about 3000 political prisoners in Syria who are being held
without trial. These prisoners include activists of various political backgrounds.
An Embassy in Damascus (1) said that human rights organizations estimate the number of political
prisoners to be 1.500 – 2.000.
An attorney (1) and a Human Rights Organization stressed that members of, or people perceived to be
members of the Muslim Brotherhood face the greatest risk of persecution in Syria.
An attorney (1) pointed to the existence of a law (no. 49) that imposes the death penalty for
membership of the Muslim Brotherhood.
A Human Rights Organization mentioned that also members of Islamist groupings such as the Takfir,
the Hizb ut Tahrir and the Salafists face a great risk of persecution.
An attorney (1) estimated that 95 percent of the political prisoners in Syria are Islamists or perceived by
the authorities to be so.
The sources also added that human rights activists and Kurdish activists may risk problems with the
Syrian authorities.
A Human Rights Organization told the delegation that recently 14 human rights activists were arrested
for signing the so-called Damascus-Beirut declaration. However, some were released without trial. The
source added that one of its members has been detained six times due to human rights activities and is
banned from leaving Syria.
An attorney (1) told the delegation that two charges against him due to human rights activities were
recently dropped. However, he is banned from leaving the country. In 2005 he was banned from
leaving Syria in Damascus International Airport on his way to The Netherlands to receive a Human
Rights Award.
According to the source, the general human rights situation in Syria has deteriorated recently.
A Human Rights Organization referred to the “red lines”, i.e. the lines which define what sort of activism
is tolerated by the authorities and what is not tolerated. The source observed that these “red lines”,
which used to be well-known to human rights organizations, are no longer visible. For that reason the
risk of being an activist has increased. [......]
3.4.2.2 Kurds: Arrests, Trials and Amnesty
Most of the sources pointed to a presidential amnesty in 2005 according to which all the detained
Kurdish activists awaiting trials at the military court or the security court were released.
A local observer said that approximately 5000 Kurds were arrested after the events in Qamishli in
March 2004.
A Kurdish representative (1) and a Kurdish representative (3), said that approximately 4000 Kurds
were arrested in the aftermath of the events in Qamishli in March 2004.
A Human Rights Organization estimated that about 2800 Kurds were arrested in that connection. The
sources pointed out that this number includes Kurds arrested all over Syria.
These sources agreed that the vast majority of Kurds arrested after the events in Qamishli were
released shortly after their arrest.
According to a Kurdish representative (1) and a local observer approximately 300 Kurds remained in
prison. The sources said that these Kurds remained in prison for about 1 year before they were
released.
A local lawyer told the delegation that all ordinary participants in the demonstrations in Qamishli in
March 2004 have been released. According to the source however there may be Kurds who are facing
charges for sabotage against public institutions or association with illegal opposition parties.
A Kurdish representative (3) told the delegation that many imprisoned Kurds were released due to a
presidential amnesty in March 2005.
An Embassy in Damascus (3) said that, apart from the mass arrests of Kurds in March 2004 and June
2005, approximately 250 Kurds were arrested in Aleppo in 2006. However, according to the source
these detainees were released after a short period of detention.
According to a Kurdish representative (1) approximately 50 Kurds were arrested in a demonstration in
2006. Also on the international day for human rights during sit-in demonstrations at the University of
Aleppo several Kurds were arrested. Additionally one member of a moderate Kurdish party was
arrested in December 2006.
A local observer informed the delegation that 49 Kurds were arrested after the demonstrations in
connection with the funeral of Imam Khaznawi in June 2006.
With one exception all Kurdish sources consulted, an Embassy in Damascus (1+3) and a Human
Rights Organization pointed out that the authorities no longer arrest Kurds solely due to participation in
the Qamishli events in 2004.
A Kurdish representative (2) said that participants in the demonstrations in Qamishli in March 2004
may still risk arrest today.
A Kurdish representative (4) added that there could be Kurds who are wanted by the authorities due to
the events in Qamishli in March 2004. However, information about such matters would only be known
to the security service.
Several sources pointed out the existence of courts in which political prisoners can be tried:
- Supreme State Security Courts (SSSC) (Emergency court)
- Military Courts
- Criminal Courts
According to a Kurdish representative (3) there is no means of appeal in cases tried in the SSSC and
in the military courts. Before the SSSC the defendant does not have the right to choose his own legal
counsel. In the criminal courts the defendant has the right to an attorney and means of appeal.
An attorney (1) mentioned that political cases can be tried in criminal courts, the military courts or the
SSSC.
According to the experience of an Embassy in Damascus (1) Kurds who are arrested on suspicion of
affiliation with the PKK are tried before the SSSC. Kurds arrested for other political reason are tried
before military courts.
According to a Kurdish representative (3) due to the emergency law in Syria the security services
decide in which court a specific case will be tried. The cases which are considered most serious will be
referred to the SSSC whereas less serious cases will be referred to the military courts. The source
observed that military courts originally had jurisdiction in cases involving military personnel.
The source also pointed out that under normal circumstances people arrested by the police (and not
the security service) will be tried in ordinary courts. However, the events in Qamishli in March 2004
involved state security according to the authorities. For that reason people arrested in that connection
can be tried in special courts.
Several sources said that there are Kurds who are presently facing charges due to events in Qamishli
in March 2004.
According to a Human Rights Organization, 49 Kurds are presently being prosecuted for involvement in
the events in Qamishli in 2004. According to the source all are released on bail.
According to another lawyer approximately 160 Kurds are being prosecuted for involvement in the
events in Qamishli in March 2004. Among these 60 are released on bail. 1 has already been
sentenced.
According to an Embassy in Damascus (1), approximately 10 Kurds are presently facing charges for
involvement in the Qamishli events in 2004.
According to a Kurdish representative (4) 11 Kurds are presently being prosecuted for involvement in
the events in Qamishli in 2004, including one minor. Four of these Kurds are still detained. The rest
have been released on bail. The source added that these cases are tried before military courts. The
Kurds facing charges are not high-profile political activists.
A local observer said that that the 49 Kurds who were arrested in connection with the funeral of Imam
Khaznawi in June 2006 are being tried by a military court in Damascus.
A Kurdish representative (3) pointed out to the delegation that there are no reliable statistics
concerning imprisoned people in Syria. According to the source 46 Kurdish minors arrested in the
aftermath of the events in Qamishli in 2004 are presently facing charges before military courts. The
source pointed out that Syrian law does not permit the prosecution of minors. Among the 46 minors
one has already been sentenced. The others are all released on bail.
The source observed that the presidential amnesty of March 2005, after which many detained Kurds
were released, was not given in writing. For that reason the security service is able to still detain and
prosecute a number of Kurds.
The source estimated that a total of about 250 to 300 Kurds are presently being prosecuted by military
courts in Damascus. This number includes Kurds arrested for other reason than the events in Qamishli
in 2004.
An Embassy in Damascus (1) told the delegation that the charges against Kurds presently being
prosecuted involved for instance sabotage, looting and insulting the Syrian flag.
A lawyer mentioned charges against Kurds such as instigation of riots and subversive activity.
A Kurdish representative (3) said that the Kurds being prosecuted are facing charges such as
vandalism, rioting and insulting the Syrian flag. The source added that generally Kurds who are
arrested on suspicion of membership of a Kurdish political party risk being charged with membership of
an illegal party, collaboration with foreign powers or endangering the unity of Syria. Such case will
normally be tried before the SSSC with a maximum penalty of 5 years imprisonment.
A Human Rights Organization said that the Kurds being prosecuted for involvement in the events in
Qamishli in March 2004 are facing what he called “standard charges” such as relations to organizations
aiming to secede part of Syria or undermining national stability
An attorney (1) pointed out that the reasons of court rulings in Syria are incomplete and often marked
by the involvement of the security service. The source observed that the legal system in Syria in
general is marked by the emergency law in place since 1963.
3.4.2.3 Today: Prosecution and Persecution
An Embassy in Damascus (1) told the delegation that those Kurdish activists who engage in activities
such as distribution of political leaflets, celebration of the Kurdish New Year/ Newrouz or participation
in demonstrations risk being arrested.
A Kurdish representative (4) told the delegation that a member of a Kurdish political party who is
discovered as engaging in political activity, for instance demonstrations, risks arrest. Suspicion of
political activism may lead to arrest and political activists are regularly arrested in North-East Syria.
A lawyer and a local observer said that Kurdish political activists are still regularly arrested in Syria.
A Human Rights Organization observed that Kurds who participated in the demonstrations in Qamishli
in March 2004 and who engaged in political activity prior to these events may risk arrest.
A Human Rights Organization, an Embassy in Damascus (1) and several Kurdish sources pointed to
the recent arrest in Aleppo of a leading member of the Kurdish Yekiti Party. A Kurdish representative
(2) mentioned the arrest in December 2006 of a Kurd who had published a collection of poetry in the
Kurdish language. A lawyer (2) said that in 2006 for instance some Kurds were arrested on suspicion
of attempts to conduct a census of the Kurdish population in Syria.
The Kurdish sources consulted, an European Embassy (1+3) and a Human Rights Organization told
the delegation that generally leading Kurdish politicians are not arrested.
A Kurdish representative (1) said that the authorities do not arrest Kurdish political leaders because
they want avoid negative international attention to the regime. However, this policy does not apply to
low-profile Kurdish activists.
An Embassy in Damascus (3) added that Kurdish political leaders generally operate quite freely for
instance by having international contacts by e-mail or with Embassies. According to the source this is
possible because the political leaders know the “red lines” which can not be crossed without risk.
A lawyer (2) said that a person reading a political leaflet might be arrested while the person who
published the leaflet is not arrested.
The consulted Kurdish sources, an Embassy in Damascus (1+3) and a Human Rights Organization
stressed in unison that there is no pattern in the arrests of Kurdish activists in Syria. According to the
sources it is arbitrary which activists are arrested and which are not arrested.
An Embassy in Damascus (3) stressed that it is very difficult to say which political activists will be
arrested and which will not be arrested. According to the source that is the big question.
A Kurdish representative (4) said that traditionally it is very difficult to predict what sort of activity will
lead to arrest.
A Kurdish representative (1) observed that the authorities probably have very specific reason for
arresting individual Kurds. However, it is not clear why some are arrested and others are not.
According to the source, there are no known criteria behind the arrests of Kurds.
A Kurdish representative (2) said that the reaction of the authorities to political activism is highly
unpredictable. For instance according to the source sometimes the celebration of Newrouz is tolerated,
at other times participants are arrested.
A Kurdish representative (3) and an Embassy in Damascus (1) pointed out that the arrests of Kurds are
deliberately arbitrary in order to spread a sense of general insecurity.
An Embassy in Damascus (1) observed that the Syrian regime is built on inspiring such insecurity.
A Kurdish representative (1) added that probably there is an unofficial suspension of arrests against
Kurds in place at the moment in order not to attract negative attention to the Syrian regime.
A Kurdish representative (4) pointed out that the Syrian authorities have a “one-time-policy” meaning
that political activists who have been arrested and released will be under surveillance. Such persons
are often forced to cooperate with the security service.
A Kurdish representative (3) told the delegation that arrested persons who are released often are
obliged to report regularly to the security service. Such persons will normally be under surveillance by
the security service. They risk arrest if they do not cooperate with the security service.
A lawyer said that the most common reason for arresting Kurdish activists are membership of an illegal
party, political activity and possession of printed materials in the Kurdish language.
A Human Rights Organization, said that Kurds in Syria are not subject to persecution due to their
ethnicity alone. Most Kurds in Syria do not risk persecution since they have no political activities.
An Embassy in Damascus (1) pointed out that Kurdish political activists do not face a greater risk of
arrest than other people considered opponents of the regime.
A Human Rights Organization and shared this point of view.
A lawyer said that Kurdish activists are not oppressed to a larger degree than political activists of Arab
or other origins.
A Human Rights Organization observed that there is much exaggeration about the number of injustices
against Syrian Kurds. According to the source, Kurdish asylum seekers from Syria exaggerate their
problems in order to obtain asylum.
A Kurdish representative (2+4) said that some asylum seekers may abuse the situation in Syria in
order to obtain asylum abroad.[......] “
World Organisation Against Torture, Arrests and travel ban overlap a workshop for
human rights activists in Syria, 7 November 2007. Online. UNHCR Refworld, available
at: http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/refworld/rwmain?docid=47a87edc2
En este informe se indican, en general, las diferentes restricciones a las que se ven
sometidas los activistas defensores de derechos humanos: imposibilidad de registrar
sus respectivas formaciones, arrestos en caso de celebrar reuniones, prohibiciones de
salida del país, juicios, y otros tipos de hostigamientos. Transcribo únicamente la
referencia a miembros kurdos a los que se prohíbe la salida del país:
“[......] Furthermore, in the evening of November 1, 2007, the Syrian government also prevented
several other Syrian human rights defenders from leaving the Damascus International Airport and
therefore from participating in the above-mentioned workshop. These are: Mr. Radeef Mustafa, a
8
member of the Kurdish Human Rights Committee, Mr. Mustafa Ouso and Mr. Hasan Masho,
both members of Kurdish human rights associations, as well as Mr. Khalil Maatouk and Mr.
Muhannad Al Husni, human rights lawyers[......]”.
United States Department of State, 2007 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices Syria, 11 March 2008. Online. UNHCR Refworld, available at: http://www.unhcr.org/cgibin/texis/vtx/refworld/rwmain?docid=47d92c5ac8 [accessed 21 March 2008] : Este
informe se refiere a arrestos o muertes arbitrarias durante el 2006. Cita al partido
Yekiti, y al Democratic Union Party:
“[......] a. Arbitrary or Unlawful Deprivation of Life
During the year there were reports of arbitrary or unlawful deprivation of life. According to local
human rights groups, three persons died in detention following torture or mistreatment by security
services during the year. On June 4, Kurdish citizen Fahed Mohammad Omar reportedly died
while held by criminal security forces in al-Malkieh. On July 4, Abdul Moez Salem's burial was
supervised by Syrian Military Intelligence (SMI) without allowing the family to view his remains.
On December 31, local human rights organizations reported that Ghafoor Abdul-Baqi died as a
result of the torture he received at the hands of the security services. Ghafoor was originally
arrested in Idlib where dozens of alleged Islamists were arrested beginning on June 15.
During the year there were reports that security forces killed one demonstrator. On November 2,
security forces killed Kurdish youth Issa Khalil in Qamishli while breaking up a pro-Kurdistan
Workers Party (PKK) protest against a possible Turkish incursion into northern Iraq. According to
witnesses, Khalil was not part of the initial protest but one of dozens of Qamishli residents who
joined the protesters after police fired bullets and teargas to break up the demonstrations.[......]
During the year the government continued its sustained crackdown on civil society and human
rights activists. Under the authority of laws that criminalize membership and activity in
organizations the government deems illegal, security forces arrested a number of persons with
links to local human rights groups, prodemocracy student groups, as well as scores of other
minorities, particularly Kurds, and members of the MB and suspected Islamic extremists.[......] On
March 21, security authorities arrested and detained Riad Seif, a former political prisoner and MP,
for several hours while he was attending Kurdish Nah Ruz (New Year) celebrations. Security
forces released him the same day[......]On November 2, local Web sites reported that the
government arrested Kurdish activist Kawthar Tayfore for his role in the demonstrations that took
place in Qamishli against the Turkish military operations in northern Iraq.[......] Human rights
organizations estimated that hundreds of cases are tried by the SSSC annually. The majority of
cases during the year involved charges relating to membership in various banned political groups,
including religious parties such as the MB, the Islamic Liberation Party, and Syrian Kurdish
parties. During the year, the SSSC sentenced more than 150 citizens to sentences ranging from
three years in prison to execution, which can be commuted to 12 years.[......] On December 17,
three Kurdish opposition parties (Yekiti, Azadi, and Future) organized a demonstration of
approximately 200 people in front of the SSSC to mark International Human Rights Day and
protest the detention of five Yekiti party members. Security services arrested all the protesters,
drove them outside of town, and left them on the highway.[......] On May 13, the court sentenced
civil society activist, author, and intellectual Michel Kilo and Communist Action Party member
Mahmoud Issa to three years in prison for "weakening the national morale." Two other men,
Kurdish political activists Suleiman al-Shummar and Khalik Hussein, were sentenced in absentia
to 10 years in prison. In September 2006 the men were released on bail, and their whereabouts
remained unknown at year's end.[......] On August 12, security authorities arrested Ma'rouf Mulla
Ahmed, senior member of the Kurdish Yekiti Party, at the Lebanese border as he was trying to
leave the country. His whereabouts remained unknown at year's end.[......] The law provides for
the prosecution of any person who attempts to seek refuge in another country to escape a penalty
in Syria. Persons who have unsuccessfully sought asylum in other countries and who have past
connections with the MB have been prosecuted upon their return to Syria.
The government routinely arrested dissidents who tried to return to the country after years or even
decades in exile.
8
Mustafa Ouso es, según informes de “The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network” y la “World Organization
Against Torture – OMCT” – información ya citada en página 11 - cabeza de la Kurdish organization for the Defence
of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in Syria (DAD).
For example, on January 9, local human rights organizations reported that security services
arrested Mahmud Iso, a Kurd who was living abroad in Germany for 15 years, upon his return. His
whereabouts remained unknown at year's end.[......] In 2004 the government banned all political
activities by the 12 Syrian Kurdish parties, although enforcement has varied. The Syrian MB has
remained banned in the country since 1963.
[......]On November 24, the Syrian government prevented several human rights activists from
traveling abroad for various trainings and meetings. Among those prevented from leaving were:
Mustafa Oso, head of the Kurdish Organization for the Defense of Human Rights in Syria; Rasem
Suleiman, Chairman of the Arab Organization for Human Rights; and Ammar Qurabi, President of
the National Organization for Human Rights.[......] Prosecution of Kurdish citizens remained a
fixture of SSSC charges. In most cases Kurdish prisoners were accused of seeking to annex part
of Syria to another country.
Security services subjected Kurdish citizens to mass arrests throughout the year.
For example, on January 29, security authorities arrested 28 Kurdish citizens in Aleppo for their
alleged role in the March 2004 riots in Qamishli, according to Kurdish human rights organizations.
Among those arrested were Azad Qader, Juan Qader, Bashar Qader, Ahmad Nasaan, and Najm
Eldin Habash. Regional media reported that on September 30, authorities cleared the 28 of all
charges. There were also monthly reports of the security services arresting Kurdish individuals or
small groups. By year's end there were no further developments.
On April 5, authorities arrested eight Kurds for allegedly wearing the colors of the Kurdish flag on
a wrist band. The eight were released 10 days later, according to Kurdish human rights
organizations.
On May 22, police arrested Muhammad Khalil Abo Zaid in Hasakeh and accused him of
9
possessing illegal publications of the Democratic Union Party , which is affiliated with the PKK.
On May 24, security services transferred Zaid to the PSD, where he remained at year's end.
On March 10, a gathering of several tens of thousands in Qamishli took place to commemorate
the 2004 Qamishli incident, in which 38 people were killed and more than one thousand persons
detained when security forces opened fire at a soccer match.
The trial of 49 Kurds connected to the 2005 protest following Kurdish Sheikh Mashook alKhaznawi's kidnapping and death continued, despite the government's announcement that they
were granted amnesty in 2006. The most recent trial appearance took place on December 13,
and the trial was ongoing at year's end.
On August 2, security forces arrested and questioned a senior member of the Kurdish Azadi
Party, Bashar Amin, for nine days before releasing him on August 11, according to human rights
activists.
On August 12, security services arrested Marouf Mella Ahmad, a leading figure in the opposition
Kurdish Yekiti Party, according to Kurish human rights organizations. Ahmad remained detained
at year's end.
Although the government contended that there was no discrimination against the Kurdish
population, it placed limits on the use and teaching of the Kurdish language. It also restricted the
publication of books and other materials written in Kurdish, Kurdish cultural expression, and at
times, the celebration of Kurdish festivals[......]”.
Human Rights Watch, World Report 2008 - Syria, 31 January 2008. Online. UNHCR
Refworld,
available
at:
http://www.unhcr.org/cgibin/texis/vtx/refworld/rwmain?docid=47a87c15c
En este reciente informe sobre el año 2007 HRW se refiere actos de discriminación y
de represión contra kurdos. Hace referencia al partido Yekiti:
“[......] Discrimination and Repression against Kurds
9
Desconozco si esta referencia al Democratic Unión Party, es la misma que al PYD (ver tabla de
http://www.broadleft.org/sy.htm )
Kurds, the largest non-Arab ethnic minority in Syria, comprise about 10 percent of the
population of 18.5 million. They remain subject to systematic discrimination, including
the arbitrary denial of citizenship to an estimated 300,000 Syria-born Kurds. Syrian
authorities also suppress the use of the Kurdish language in schools and suppress
other expressions of Kurdish identity.
Despite a general presidential pardon for those involved in the March 2004 clashes
between Kurdish demonstrators and security forces in the northeastern city of Qamishli,
an estimated 49 Kurds still face trials before the military court in Damascus on charges
of inciting disturbances and damaging public property. Kurdish political leaders are
subject to frequent harassment and arrests. Syrian state security officials detained
Ma'rouf Mulla Ahmed, a leading member of the Syrian Kurdish Yekiti Party, at the
Syrian-Lebanese border in August 2007. At this writing, he remained in incommunicado
detention.[......]”
United Kingdom: Home Office, Operational Guidance Note: Syria, 19 June 2007.
Online.
UNHCR
Refworld,
available
at:
http://www.unhcr.org/cgibin/texis/vtx/refworld/rwmain?docid=46f11420d
Refleja entre otros puntos, la postura del gobierno de UK sobre las solicitudes de asilo
emitidas por kurdos de Siria: En dicho informe se viene a decir que cualquier kurdo
puede sufrir discriminación en menor o mayor grado, pero que únicamente se podría
considerar como refugiados o merecedores de otra protección a aquellos kurdos que
hacen pública su oposición al gobierno, a través de protestas o participación en algún
grupo político de oposición.
“[......] 3.6 Kurds
3.6.1 Many claimants will make an asylum or human rights claim based on ill treatment amounting
to persecution at the hands of the State due to their ethnicity.
3.6.2 Treatment. It is estimated that Kurds made up approximately 8-15 percent of the 18 million
inhabitants of Syria. In January 2006 it was estimated that Syrian Kurds numbered
approximately 1.75 million.16 Decree No 93, issued in August 1962, ordered the holding
of a census in Hasakeh province, in north-eastern Syria, for the purpose of identifying
foreign nationals who had crossed the border from Turkey. Those not fulfilling any of the
criteria were registered as foreigners.17 No reliable official records are available, but
according to Amnesty and UNHCR it is estimated that there are now around 300,000
Kurds who are not entitled to Syrian nationality and therefore are denied accompanying
rights of nationals.18 Roughly half the Kurdish population were located in the northeast –
Hassakeh (Hasaka) and Jazeera (Jazira) – and in Afrin, Aleppo, Kubani and Kurd Dagh
in the north to northwest. The other half were mostly to be found in the urban centres of
Aleppo and Damascus.19 Syrian Kurds speak Kumanji Kurdish, although many are
bilingual and those who have been living in Arabic-speaking areas for more than a
generation normally speak Arabic.20
3.6.3 Persons that participated in the August 1962 census but were unable to prove their
entitlement to Syrian citizenship (or refused/were unable to pay large bribes to retain it)
are known as Ajanib (foreigners) and were issued ‘Red Cards’, which state that they are
not Syrian nationals and are not entitled to travel. Others who did not take part in the
census, or who were unable to be registered at birth due to the lack of status of their
parent(s), are known as Maktoumeen (‘those who are muted’) and have no identity
document. These impact on Kurds’ access to services such as health, education, ability
to travel abroad, purchase property, and register businesses, cars, marriages and births.
Ajanib and Maktoumeen are unable to access government health care and must pay for
all health services. The children of Ajanib can access primary education but find it more
difficult to access secondary and higher education whereas Maktoumeen children’s
education is very restricted with attendance at higher education practically impossible.21
3.6.4 Kurds suffer from identity-based discrimination, including restrictions placed upon the use of
the Kurdish language and culture. In addition according to Amnesty International, large
proportions (roughly 17%) of the Syrian Kurds are effectively stateless.22However there
have been, and still are, many Kurds in positions of power or influence in Syria and
these are often cited by Syrian Arabs as evidence of Kurdish equality and immersion in
the state. These Kurds tend to be urban and affluent, to speak Arabic rather than
Kurmanji and to be reconciled to the ‘Arabness’ of their identity.23
3.6.5 In terms of abuse or harassment by the Syrian authorities, the Kurds in Syria – both
nationals and stateless, but particularly those involved in the struggle for their people’s
political and civil rights – have been under increasing pressure since the Qamishli riot of
March 2004. The trouble began at a football match in Qamishli in the Jazira on 12 March
2004 when hostilities between Kurdish and Arab supporters ended with the security
forces shooting dead at least seven Kurds. This was followed by further shootings at
their funerals. Thousands demonstrated in Qamishli and in Kurdish areas across Syria –
the Jazira, Afrin, Aleppo and Damascus. Some protests turned into riots, government
and private property was ransacked and burned and a police station was attacked in
Amude. The Syrian authorities reacted with brutality, beating, arresting and imprisoning
large numbers of Kurds. The army moved into Kurdish regions in force, tanks and
helicopters appeared in Qamishli and a week later calm was restored.24
3.6.6 Despite the March 2005 release of some 312 Kurds arrested during March 2004’s ‘uprising’,
Kurdish dissent has continually flared up over the past two years. In March and MayJune 2005 the arrest of approximately 40 and 60 Kurds were made at the Kurdish New
Year celebrations (Newroz) and the funeral of Kurdish Sheikh Ma’shuq Khaznawi
respectively25.
3.6.7 The Syrian Government appeared to be making guarded attempts at conciliation with its
large Kurdish minority, with President Bashar al-Assad admitting the existence of the
Kurds in Syria when making an unprecedented visit to Jazeera, and the March 2005
Presidential pardon that led to the aforementioned prisoner releases. On the central
issue of citizenship for the Ajanib and Maktoumeen, in recent years members of the
Government have spoken of finding a solution, particularly since the Qamishli riots; most
recently the President himself in his November 2005 address stated that he wished to
solve the problem of nationality.26 Shakib Hajou, a representative of the Kurdish
Haderkan tribe from the Al-Hasakah district, said a 43-member delegation representing
all the Kurdish tribes in Syria, met recently with Ba’ath Party official Muhammad Sa’id
Bakhtian, and two other regional politicians in Damascus in early 2006. They discussed
restoring citizenship to Kurds at the earliest possible opportunity. Bakhtian said an order
will be issued within the next month granting citizenship to about 300,000 Kurds. It was
unclear whether they will be granted gradually or at one time.27 But other promises of a
resolution to the plight of stateless Kurds have been made before and have failed to
come to fruition.28
3.6.8 In the last months of 2006 Amnesty International, Syrian Human Rights Committee, IRIN
and Reporters sans Frontières all reported on the continued abuse of the Kurds at the
hands of the Syrian authorities. Most of the harassment, which usually involved arrest
and/or detention, appeared inspired by the actual or suspected political or civil activism
on the part of those targeted by the security services.29
3.6.9 Sufficiency of protection. As this category of claimants’ fear is of ill treatment/persecution
by the state authorities they cannot apply to these authorities for protection.
3.6.10 Internal relocation. As this category of claimants fear is of ill treatment/persecution by the
state authorities relocation to a different area of the country to escape this threat is not
feasible.
3.6.11 Caselaw
AR [2006] UKAIT 00048 CG
The Tribunal conclude that the deprivations experienced by Syrian Kurds are not such
as to amount to persecution or breach of their human rights if returned to Syria. (Para
88)
The Tribunal found that a Syrian Kurd with no political history does not face a risk of
persecution or breach of his human rights on return to Syria. (Para 92)
3.6.12 Conclusion. Generally Syrians of Kurdish ethnic origin may face some unequal treatment
or discrimination but this will rarely amount to persecution. It will only do so when the
individual has made public his opposition to the authorities for example through protests
or participation in political parties that oppose the regime. A grant of asylum or
Humanitarian Protection will only be applicable in cases where it can be demonstrated
the level of discrimination reaches persecution. Therefore it is unlikely that non-political
Kurds in this category would qualify for asylum or Humanitarian Protection and such
claims are likely to be unfounded. For those that have demonstrated some opposition to
the authorities please refer to the section on Political opposition to the Syrian
10
Government .
3.6.13 For Kurds that claim statelessness it is worth bearing in mind that for discrimination to
amount to persecution, measures must involve persistent and serious ill treatment
without just cause. They must be of a substantially prejudicial nature and must affect a
significant part of the individual's existence to the extent that it would make the
individual's life intolerable if they were to return to the country in which they are likely to
be persecuted. If there is evidence that a Kurd who is stateless has been treated to such
a level they should be granted asylum.[......]
3.7 Political opposition to the Syrian Government [......]
3.7.10 Conclusion. The Syrian Government is repressive of dissent and anti-regime behaviour is
generally not allowed on any substantial scale within the country. If it is accepted that the
claimant has been involved in either high or low level political activity opposing the
Government and this has come to the attention of the authorities, there is a real risk they
will encounter State-sponsored ill-treatment amounting to persecution within the terms of
the 1951 Convention. This risk will be dependent on the nature of the dissent, how it was
expressed, and whether we accept that the authorities are aware of the dissent. The
grant of asylum in such cases is likely to be appropriate. [......]”
Otro informe del UK Home Office, de octubre del 2007 se refiere a grupos de riesgo, y
en concreto a los activistas políticos kurdos. Hace especial mención del partido Yekiti,
y del Kurdish Democratic Union Party o Democratic Party:
United Kingdom: Home Office, Country of Origin Information Report - Syria, 10 October
2007.
Online.
UNHCR
Refworld,
available
at:
http://www.unhcr.org/cgibin/texis/vtx/refworld/rwmain?docid=470ddb1f2
“[......] KURDISH POLITICAL ACTIVISTS
14.12 Kurdish activists experienced arrests, detentions and unfair trials throughout 2005 and
2006. (AI, 15-16 November 2006; SHRC Annual Report 2006, SHRC, 2 October 2006
– 22 December 2006; IRIN, 2 October 2006) [12aa-12ab] [14a] (p2, 12, 18-19, 22-25,
28-29, 32) [14g-14h, 14l, 14v-14w, 14ab, 14ag, 14am, 14ao] [16f] The day after the
International Day for Human Rights – 10 December 2006 – SHRC reported on the case
of a Kurdish activist, who also had ‘Islamic tendencies’:
“The Supreme State Security Court (SSSC) in Damascus sentenced the Kurdish
citizen Qanbar Hussein Qanbar to three years in prison, accusing him of belonging to a
secret organisation and of attempting to split off Syrian territories and annexing them to
a foreign country. This is an accusation that the Syrian Authorities have been attaching
to all Kurdish activists who protest for their ethnic and cultural rights which have been
forbidden by the Syrian regime.” [14am]
Yekiti (Kurdish Democratic Party)
14.13 In a June 2006 speech to the United States’ House Committee on International Relations’
Subcommittee on the Middle East & Central Asia, Farid Ghadry, President of the
Reform Party of Syria, states:
“The Kurdish Movement is characterized by a mature opposition inside Syria and one
that is more nascent outside Syria. Those on the inside are very much influenced by
the Iraqi leadership in the Kurdistan area of Iraq. They rally around three or four strong
political parties such as the Yekiti, the Kurdish Future Movement, and the Democratic
11
Party . The Kurdish movement is strong and is able to mobilize the masses.” [44]
14.14 In 2005:
“Scores of people were arrested during the year for political reasons, including tens of
prisoners of conscience. At least several hundred people, including prisoners of
conscience, remained imprisoned for political reasons. Scores were brought to trial
before the SSSC [Supreme State Security Court] and Military Courts, all of which suffer
from a gross lack of independence and impartiality.” (AI Annual Report, 2006) [12a]
10
11
ver punto 3.7.10 de este mismo informe Home Office, Operational Guidance Note: Syria, 19 June 2007
Puede que se refiera al ya nombrado Partîya Yekîtî ya Demokratîk o PYD???
14.15 AI’s Annual Report noted that “Many of those facing trial were suspected members or
12
affiliates of banned political parties such as the Kurdish Democratic Union Party …
.” [12a]
14.16 Two October 2005 AFP reports record the sentencing of members of the Kurdish
Democratic Unity Party to two-and-a-half year jail terms for belonging to a secret
organisation, which aims to annex part of Syrian territory to another country. “‘This is
the habitual charge made against all Kurds who appear in this tribunal. It is unfounded
because all Kurdish parties seek a democratic and just solution to the Kurdish
problems within the framework of Syria's territorial unity,’ [their lawyer Faisal Badr]
added.” [45b, 45c]
14.17 Whilst, in December 2005, AFP reported that another member of the same party had been
sentenced to two years in prison for the same reason, and that 14 Kurds – held on
suspicion of being members of Al-Qaeda – began a hunger strike as their trial was
postponed. The 14, who had already been detained for nearly a year, were joined in
their protest by 30 of their fellow inmates. “The hunger strike was ‘to protest the
conditions of their detention’, said Bunni, who added that the proceedings were ‘unjust’
and ‘unconstitutional’.” [45a]
14.18 The Office of the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) website published
a number of reports on various human rights issue, including individual cases involving
Kurdish activists. [39a] [39b] (Paras 222-235) [39c] (Paras 936-961) [39d] (p3-4) In
2006, reports continued of the mistreatment of Kurds in general, and also the
sentencing of alleged members and affiliates of opposition parties, including the
Yekiti/Kurdish Democratic Union Party to prison terms for their membership of the
organisation. (World Markets Analysis, 10 April 2006; Financial Times Information, 9
April 2006; Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN), March & April 2006) [46]
[47] [16a-16e]
14.19 In October 2006, IRIN reported that a former leader of the Yekiti Party – who had been
detained in June 2006 – was released from jail whilst in December 2006 SHRC
recorded the arrest of one of the party’s leading figures. [14ao] [16f]
[......] Annex B – Political organisations
[......] Yekiti (Yakiti/Yakidi) Party (Homepage of Netherlands-based website (in Kurdish and
Arabic). http://www.yekiti.nl/) (Kurdish Democratic Union Party or the Kurdish Democratic Unity
Party, the Kurdish Unity Party, or the Kurdish Union Party)
Peacefully strives for an equalisation of Kurdish rights and democratic change. It is banned in
Syria. [43a-43b] [......]”
Por ser un informe muy reciente ( del 20 de febrero de 2008) cito el informe del
Kurdish Human Rights Project : Kurdish Politician Tortured to Death in Syria13. En él se
indica que activistas kurdos siguen sufriendo hostigamiento a manos de la seguridad
siria.
" [......] Kurdish Human Rights Project has just received information that former Kurdish politician
Osman Mihemed Silêman Hecî, who had served as a Syrian MP between 1991 and 2007 died in
hospital yesterday following several months of torture and ill treatment in prison.
Mr Hecî was arrested on 27 November 2007 and had been in prison ever since, suffering torture
and ill treatment at the hands of Syrian police. On 22 January 2008 he was taken to El Kindi
Hospital by Syrian officials and registered with the name of Eli Ehmed to hide his real identity. He
died of his injuries there yesterday.
Mr Hecî is one of countless Syrian Kurds who suffer arbitrary detention and torture at the hands of
Syrian officials. Syria’s Kurdish region is kept deliberately economically isolated both from the rest
of Syria, and other Kurdish-inhabited regions. Around a million Kurds have been stripped of
citizenship and therefore unable to travel or access basic services. Arrests and violence in Syria’s
Kurdish regions have been particularly common in recent months due to Syrian Kurdish
opposition to Turkey’s military operations in Kurdistan Iraq, operations which Syria vocally
supported.
12
13
De nuevo el PYD???
http://www.khrp.org/content/view/355/2/
In response to today’s news KHRP Executive Director Kerim Yildiz stated: “Kurds are
disenfranchised, arbitrarily arrested, tortured and killed with a shocking degree of impunity in
Syria. That even a long-serving and respected member of parliament such as Mr Hecî can suffer
such a fate demonstrates that Syria cares little even to hide such outrageous conduct. KHRP
calls on the international community to unreservedly condemn this killing and to put the necessary
pressure on Syria to enfranchise its Kurdish population and to respect the human rights of all its
citizens[......] ".
Incluyo en ultimo lugar el informe 2007 de Aministía Internacional 14, en el que se
señalan violaciones de derechos humanos hacia los kurdos. Hace referencia a la
desaparición del secretario del Syrian Kurdish Democratic Unity Party:
" [......] Freedom of expression and association continued to be severely restricted. Scores of
people were arrested and hundreds remained imprisoned for political reasons, including prisoners
of conscience and others sentenced after unfair trials. Discriminatory legislation and practices
remained in force against women and the Kurdish minority. Torture and ill-treatment in detention
continued to be reported and carried out with impunity. Human rights defenders continued to face
arrest, harassment and restrictions on their freedom of movement.
[......] Imprisonment for political reasons
Scores of people were arrested during 2006 for political reasons, including tens of prisoners of
conscience. Hundreds of political prisoners, including prisoners of conscience, remained
imprisoned. Scores faced trial before the Supreme State Security Court (SSSC), Criminal Court or
Military Court, all of which failed to respect international standards for fair trials.
• In April, Riad Drar al-Hamood was sentenced by the SSSC to five years' imprisonment on
charges of belonging to a "secret organization", "publishing false news" and "inciting sectarian
strife". A member of the Committees for Revival of Civil Society, an unauthorized network of
people engaging in human rights-related and political discussion, he was arrested in June 2005
after making a speech at the funeral of the prominent Kurdish Islamic scholar, Sheikh Muhammad
Ma'shuq al-Khiznawi, who had been abducted and killed. The charge of "inciting sectarian strife"
was commonly used against human rights defenders and activists seeking to promote the rights
of Syrian Kurds.
• Ten of the scores of signatories to the "Beirut-Damascus Declaration" that sought normalization
of relations between Syria and Lebanon were arrested between 14 and 18 May. Human rights
lawyer Anwar al-Bunni, writer Michel Kilo and Mahmoud 'Issa - who was rearrested in October
after being released on bail in September with former prisoner of conscience Khalil Hussein and
Suleyman Shummar - remained detained at the end of the year. The five men faced multiple
charges including one common charge of insulting the President, government officials or public
servants.
• There were increased concerns for the health of Dr 'Aref Dalilah, aged 63. He was said to have
suffered a stroke in mid-2006 and continued to suffer from diabetes and high blood pressure. He
remained imprisoned in a small, isolated cell serving the 10-year sentence imposed on him for his
involvement in the 2001 pro-reform movement referred to as the "Damascus Spring".
• The trial of former "Damascus Spring" prisoner Kamal al-Labwani, who was arrested in
November 2005 on his return to Syria after several months in Europe and the USA during which
he peacefully called for democratic reform, continued before the Criminal Court. He was charged
with "encouraging foreign aggression against Syria", an offence punishable by life imprisonment.
In November he was badly beaten by a criminal prisoner, reportedly at the instigation of the
authorities.
• Eight young men remained detained incommunicado at the end of 2006 after being arrested
between January and March, apparently in connection with their involvement in developing a
political discussion group. They were reportedly tortured during their interrogation. They were
being tried by the SSSC. Seven of the men were charged with "subjecting Syria to the risk of
hostile acts", and all eight with "publishing false news that may offend the dignity of the State".
14
http://thereport.amnesty.org/eng/Regions/Middle-East-and-North-Africa/Syria
• In August former "Damascus Spring" prisoner of conscience Habib Saleh was sentenced by the
military court in Homs to three years' imprisonment for "weakening nationalist sentiments" and
"spreading false news". The charges related to articles critical of the Syrian authorities that he had
published on the Internet.
• Scores of individuals were facing trial for their alleged following of the "Islamist trend". On 14
November the SSSC sentenced 11 men from al-'Otaybe who were arrested in April 2004 to
prison terms of six to nine years for membership of a Salafi organization. Some 23 young men
from Qatana remained detained following their arrests in July 2004. Members of both groups were
reportedly tortured and ill-treated during long periods of incommunicado detention.
• On 20 December, Kurdish activist and secretary of the outlawed Syrian Kurdish Democratic
Unity Party, Muhi al-Din Sheikh Aali, was reportedly arrested by Military Intelligence, in Aleppo,
northern Syria. At the end of the year he remained in incommunicado detention at an unknown
location.
[......] Discrimination against Kurds
Syrian Kurds continued to suffer from identity-based discrimination, including restrictions on the
use of the Kurdish language and culture. Tens of thousands of Syrian Kurds remained effectively
stateless and as such continued to be denied equal access to social and economic rights.
• Some 75 Kurds were reportedly released in September following their arrests in March for
peacefully celebrating Nowruz (the lunar New Year) in Aleppo. The celebration was violently
broken up by the security forces.
• Four teachers were reportedly detained for one month from 4 August for teaching the Kurdish
language.
Human rights defenders
Several unauthorized human rights organizations continued to be active, although their members
were at risk of arrest, harassment and travel bans.
• Dr 'Ammar Qurabi, media spokesman of the National Organization for Human Rights, was
detained for four days in March at Palestine Branch of Military Intelligence in Damascus, then
released without charge.
• On 11 July the offices of the Human Rights Association of Syria were attacked, with windows
broken and animal faeces smeared on the walls.
• On 27 July Muhannad al-Hasani, head of the Syrian Human Rights Organization, was prevented
from travelling to a meeting on organizational systems in Jordan, by order of the security services.
In October he was prevented from travelling to Morocco to attend the Euro-Mediterranean Civil
Forum.
• In November, Nizar Ristnawi, a founding member of the Arab Organization for Human RightsSyria, was sentenced by the SSSC to four years' imprisonment for "spreading false news" and
"insulting the President". The charges and sentence appeared to be based on his work promoting
human rights and democracy. Nizar Ristnawi was arrested in April 2005 and detained
incommunicado until August 2005.
UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
In May the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention determined that the detention of five
individuals deported to Syria was arbitrary, given "the gravity of the violation of the right to a fair
trial". Muhammad Fa'iq Mustafa was deported from Bulgaria in November 2002 and sentenced to
12 years' imprisonment by the Field Military Court, before being released in November 2005.
Ahmet Muhammad Ibrahim was deported from Turkey in March 2005, reportedly tortured, then
released in January 2006. Nabil al-Marabh, who was deported to Syria from the USA in January
2004, was sentenced in March by the SSSC to five years' imprisonment for "subjecting Syria to
the risk of hostile acts". Both 'Abd al-Rahman al-Musa, who was deported from the USA in
January 2005, and Muhammad Osama Sayes, who was deported from the UK in May 2005, were
sentenced to death by the SSSC in June for affiliation to the Muslim Brotherhood. The sentences
were immediately commuted to 12 years' imprisonment[......] ".
Este informe ha sido preparado por el CIRDAM (Accem) tras la búsqueda de
información accesible al público a través de internet. El contenido del informe no es, ni
pretende serlo, una conclusión a favor o en contra de la demanda de asilo del
solicitante.
La bibliografía utilizada para la elaboración de este informe (acceso a la información
en marzo del 2008) está recogida en las notas al pié a lo largo de todo el informe.