Obstacles to the freedom of movement of Mr. Akram al-Bunni
Paris - Geneva, January 15, 2006. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), expresses its deep concern regarding recent obstacles put to the freedom of movement of Mr. Akram al-Bunni, a Syrian human rights defender and the brother of Mr. Anwar al-Bunni, a founding member of the Syrian Human Rights Association and member of the Committee for the Defence of Prisoners of Conscience, who has been detained since May 2006.
On January 11, 2006, Mr. Akram al-Bunni was prevented from leaving Syria by the security forces. Mr. al-Bunni was to fly to Brussels (Belgium) in order to attend a meeting with several European Union representatives, to discuss the situation of human rights and human rights defenders in Syria. No official reason was given to him regarding this interdiction.
The Observatory recalls that Mr. Anwuar al-Bunni, his brother, was arrested on May 17, 2006, along with many other defenders, in the framework of a general wave of repression against civil society representatives, following the circulation of a petition drawn up by Syrian and Lebanese intellectuals and human rights activists calling for the improvement of the relations between the two countries in May 2006. He is now charged with “undermining national pride” and “incitement to racial and sectorial hatred” (see OMCT/FIDH joint press release dated May 18, 2006 and Observatory press release dated July, 28, 2006).
The Observatory strongly condemns this new step in the harassment against human rights defenders in Syria, which only aims at muzzling their freedom of expression.
The Observatory recalls that this restriction on Mr. al-Bunni’s freedom of movement violates the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1998, in particular of its article 5 (c), which states that “for the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, at national and international levels (...) to communicate with non-governmental or intergovernmental organisations”, article 6 (b) regarding the right “to freely publish, impart or disseminate to others views, information and knowledge on all human rights and fundamental freedoms”, as well as article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which provides that “everyone shall be free to leave any country, including his own”.
More generally, the Observatory calls upon the Syrian authorities to put an end to any act of harassment against human rights defenders, and to conform with regional and international human rights instruments, in particular the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.
For further information, please contact:
FIDH : Gael Grilhot: + 00331 43 55 25 18
OMCT : Delphine Reculeau: + 00 41 22 809 49 39