Gdansk -
26/07/2010

The President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek made the following statement on the Syrian human rights defender Mr Haitham al-Maleh.

European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek said:

"The European Parliament is deeply concerned about the well-being of the well-known human rights defender Mr Haitham al-Maleh. There have been many pleas for releasing him including from this Parliament. I have written to President Assad calling for his personal engagement on this case, and for President Assad to issue a pardon to Mr al-Maleh. This would be seen as an important sign of the Syrian authorities' strong commitment to respect a due process of law as well as a source of hope for all Syrian citizens who are genuinely engaged in assuring that the rule of law and human rights are respected. Such an act would moreover be highly regarded by the Members of the European Parliament, whose genuine commitment to protecting human rights and fundamental values has always been one of the driving forces behind EU's neighbourhood policy."

I am also deeply concerned by the fact that throughout the trial his legal team has been prevented from exercising their full functions as a defence. Given that Mr al-Maleh's is 79 years of age, there is a justified fear that this sentence might put his life at risk."

Background:

Mr Haitham al-Maleh is 79 years of age, a well-known human rights defender in Syria and was sentenced by a Syrian military court on 4 July to three years imprisonment for "conveying false news within Syria that could debilitate the morale of the nation."