Syria Razan Zeitouneh awarded with two important Awards

Razan Zeitouneh, human rights lawyer from Syria who has been into hiding for months, has recently been presented with two important human rights awards.

Zeitouneh has risked her life in breaking through the government’s media blackout to report on the brutal crackdown in Syria. For this she was honored by receiving the Anna Politkovskaja Award, in remembrance of the murdered Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaja.

Zeitouneh founded the Syrian Human Rights Information Link (SHRIL). Since the beginning of the revolt in Syria in March 2011, Zeitouneh tried to spread information on the human rights violations committed by the Syrian Government. The SHRIL has been one of the few sources of information on killings and arrests committed during the assault on anti-government protesters. Zeitouneh continues to speak to international media about the situation in Syria, even though she has been in hiding for 6 months already.

Mariana Katzarova, founder of the NGO Reach All Women in War (RAW in War), said the 34-year-old Zeitouneh reminds her strongly of Politkovskaya. “When the violence against civilians by the army and security forces in Syria began, Zeitouneh turned into a journalist. She became one of the essential voices coming out of Syria about the daily torture and killing of peaceful protesters in the country,” Katzarova said.

Besides the Anna Politkovskaja Award, Razan Seitouneh was also awarded with the Sacharov price by the European Parlement. This price will be handed out in December 2011.