August 27, 2007
His Excellency Bashar al-Asad
President of the Syrian Arab Republic
Presidential Palace
Damascus
Syrian Arab Republic
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We are writing to express our deep concern about the whereabouts and well-being of Mr. Ali al-Barazi, a 45-year old resident of Jdaydet `Artuz, a Damascus suburb. Mr. al-Barazi, who works as a translator, was called in for questioning by Military Intelligence on July 28, 2007. Mr. al-Barazi left his home alone on that day to report to the Mantaqa Branch of Military Intelligence. He has not been seen since then. It is feared that he has become a victim of an enforced disappearance, a very serious crime under international law.
Mr. al-Barazi’s family does not know why he was called in for questioning by Military Intelligence. His family has not received any information about him since July 28. Officers at the gate of the Mantaqa Branch of Military Intelligence have told family members that Mr. al-Barazi is not in their custody and have refused to give any information about him.
Mr. al-Barazi works as a translator at the Syrian European Documentation Center (SEDC), a Damascus-based private company. Among other clients, SEDC translates certain documents produced by Human Rights Watch into Arabic for publication on its Arabic-language website. SEDC does not translate work produced by Human Rights Watch on Syria.
We urge you to instruct Military Intelligence or other relevant security services to inform Mr. al-Barazi’s family of his whereabouts and the reasons for his detention, and allow his family to visit him. We also urge you to arrange for his immediate release from custody unless he is suspected of committing a criminal offense. In that case, the government should refer his case to the prosecutor and accord him his due process rights, including immediate access to a lawyer and a medical examination and ensure that he enjoys a hearing before a competent, independent judicial authority to determine the lawfulness of his continued detention.
We thank you in advance for your attention to this matter. As this is a matter of utmost urgency, we look forward to your prompt response.
Sincerely,
/s/
Sarah Leah Whitson
Executive Director
Middle East & North Africa Division
Human Rights Watch
cc: Dr. Imad Moustapha, Ambassador of Syria to the United States
