PYD's Continued Detention of Kurdish Journalists Sparks Outrage
In a joint statement, human rights and civil society organizations condemned the arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance of these individuals.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Human rights organizations in Syria have expressed grave concern over the ongoing detention of several Kurdish journalists and activists by security forces linked to the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria.
The list of detainees includes:
- Ahmed Sofi: Media figure and member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party - Syria's regional committee, kidnapped in Derik (also known as Al-Malikiyah) on February 4, 2024.
- Rakan Ahmed: Media figure, kidnapped from his home in Girkê legê on March 29, 2024.
- Marwan Hussein Layani: Youth activist and member of the Girkê legê local council of the Kurdish National Council, kidnapped on April 1, 2024.
- Hisham Dorsen: Member of the Kurdistan People's Party - Syria's Regional Committee and the Kurdish National Council, kidnapped on April 1, 2024.
- Fathi Sarhan Kado: Member of the Kurdish Union Party (Yekiti – PYK-S)'s Advisory Board, kidnapped from his home in Qamishli on June 15, 2024. He is 60 years old and suffers from several health issues, including heart disease.
- Ramadan Mahmoud Haji: Member of the local council in Tirbespi (Also known as Qahtaniyah) for the Kurdish National Council, kidnapped on July 29, 2024.
While the Autonomous Administration recently released media figure Berivan Ismail and Kurdistan Unity Party leader Fawaz Benko on September 8, 2024, and activists Bangin Haji Obaid, Khaled Miro, and Abdulrahman Shank earlier, human rights groups are demanding the immediate release of all remaining detainees.
In a joint statement, human rights and civil society organizations condemned the arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance of these individuals. They stressed that these actions violate both national and international laws, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Convention against Torture.
The statement emphasized the detainees' right to legal representation, fair trials, and regular medical examinations.
The organizations expressed deep concern for the detainees' lives and called on Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria to immediately release them and close all political detention files.
They also urged regional and international human rights bodies to intervene and pressure for their release.
The statement concluded by emphasizing that the continued detention of these individuals poses a serious threat to their lives and violates the international community's obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Declaration on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders.
Signatory organizations:
- Human Rights Organization in Syria - MAF
- Organization for the Defense of Prisoners of Conscience in Syria - Rawanka
- The General Union of Kurdish Writers and Journalists in Syria
- Free Kurdish Women's Organization
- Kurdish civil society forces
- Kurdish Committee for Human rights (KURDCHR)