Call for release of Mazen Darwish

Syria

The Syrian government should immediately and unconditionally release the arbitrarily detained human rights defender Mazen Darwish and his colleagues Hani Al-Zitani and Hussein Ghareer, 79 organizations, including Lawyers for Lawyers, said today. The Syrian Anti-Terrorism Court is expected to issue its verdict on September 24, 2014 in their trial.

The Syrian Air Force Intelligence arrested the three men and other colleagues during a raid on the group’s office, in Damascus on February 16, 2012. The three men have been on trial before the Anti-Terrorism Court on charges of “publicizing terrorist acts” under article 8 of the country’s 2012 Anti-Terrorism Law. The charges are based on their peaceful activities that include monitoring and publishing information about human rights abuses in Syria.

Mazen Darwish is a human rights defender and journalist from Syria. Despite obtaining a law degree, he was never admitted to the Bar to work as a lawyer due to his human rights activities.

For years, Mazen Darwish has been advocating press freedom and free speech in Syria. In 2000, he founded the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM), creating the first ever NGO in Syria.

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