8/9/2019 Syrian Lawyer and Human Rights Activist Muhannad Al
Hassani
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Samir Kassir Foundation, Aref Saghieh Bldg.( Ground Floor), 63,
Zahrani St., Sioufi, Achrafieh, Beirut, LebanonTel /Fax: 00961 1
397334, Mobile: 00961 3 372717, E-Mail Address:
[email protected]
Beirut, June 23, 2010
Press release
Syrian lawyer and human rights activist Muhannad al Hassani
sentenced to three years in prison
The Second Criminal Court of Damascus sentenced the Syrian
lawyer and human rights
activist Muhannad al-Hassani to three years in prison, in
accordance with Article 285 and
286 of the Syrian Penal Code, and to six months in prison for
conveying false newsabroad, but which were revoked under the
presidential amnesty law. He was also
acquitted of charges of establishing illegal links with an enemy
national or with a
resident of an enemy country, in accordance with Article 275 of
the same law.
In a telephone conversation with SKeyes, the lawyer and human
rights activist Khalil
Maatouk said that the sentence issued against Hassani is itself
a crime, even if thesentence were of one year in prison, because
what he did is nothing more than what any
other human rights activist is doing in Syria. In truth, the
General Prosecution did not
prove any of the charges brought against him. Maatouk also said
that the lack of a law
in place to regulate life [sic] and human rights in Syria allows
any kind of sentence and
its execution in total impunity.Maatouk pointed out that the
sentence can be appealed before the Court of Cassation
within thirty days, demanding that the emergency law be repealed
and the prisoners ofconscience in Syria be released.Regarding his
opinion about the role of Syrian human rights organizations in
Syria and
the fact that their activities are limited to issuing
statements, Maatouk said that they areunable to do anything more
for fear of being prosecuted.The court room saw significant
diplomatic presence, in addition to lawyers, friends and
human rights activists. The courts session was also attended by
a representative of the
Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network Said bin Arabieh, and a
representative ofAmnesty International.
Muhannad al-Hassani is a well-known Syrian lawyer and human
rights activist. He heads
the Syrian Organization for Human Rights (SAWASIA). He was
arrested on 28/7/2009,
after he was repeatedly summoned for questioning by the State
Security Department.On November 10, 2009, the disciplinary tribunal
held by the Bar Association in
Damascus (the Bar Association Council Damascus Branch) revoked
his licence and
membership in the Association. The decision followed a majority
vote by the council,which consists of seven lawyers. The Damascus
branch of the Bar Association had filed a
disciplinary complaint against Hassani on 4/8/2009, whereby he
was referred to the
Disciplinary Council under case No. 73 of 2009 because he heads
an unlicensed human
rights organization, which is also not sanctioned by the bar
association, and which isactive in a manner that harms Syria, as it
conveys false, exaggerated or distorted news
that undermine the reputation of the state. This is in addition
to the fact that he attends the
sessions of the Supreme State Security Court and records the
proceedings there without
8/9/2019 Syrian Lawyer and Human Rights Activist Muhannad Al
Hassani
2/2
Samir Kassir Foundation, Aref Saghieh Bldg.( Ground Floor), 63,
Zahrani St., Sioufi, Achrafieh, Beirut, LebanonTel /Fax: 00961 1
397334, Mobile: 00961 3 372717, E-Mail Address:
[email protected]
being an appointed lawyer or solicitor in any of the cases. As
the lawyer Muhannad al-
Hassanis actions constitute a contravention of the regulations
of legal practice and its
bylaws, violates the dignity, honour, traditions and esteem of
the practice, and if proven,
this becomes a case of malpracticefor these reasons, the Bar
Associations has decidedto file a case against the lawyer Hassani
pursuant to the provisions of the practice of law
regulations number 39 of 1981, especially Articles 85 and
87.Hassani was awarded the 2010 Martin Ennals Award for human
rights defenders (for the
Middle East and Africa), in recognition of his courage and
activism in the field of human
rights and for defending the rule of law.
Amnesty International has written a letter to the Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad callingupon him to intervene in the case
of Muhannad al-Hassani, whom Amnesty International
considers to be a prisoner of conscience detained solely for his
legitimate and peacefulhuman rights work. The organization urged
President al-Assad to ensure that he is
released immediately and unconditionally and to be allowed to
continue practising as a
human rights lawyer and defender.Amnesty International also
mentioned in its letter that in Syria, lawyers and other human
rights defenders constantly run the risk of being arrested as
well as other forms ofharassment. Human rights lawyer Anwar
al-Bunni, who was the head of an EU-funded
human rights centre that was shut down by the authorities soon
after opening in March
2006, was arrested on 17 May 2006 and sentenced after an unfair
trial to five years in jail
on the charge of spreading false information harmful to the
state.
The letter added that there is also the lawyer Haytham al-Maleh,
the 78 year-old former
head of the Human Rights Association of Syria, which like all
independent human rights
organizations in Syria has not been authorized by the
authorities, was arrested on 14October 2009 and is being tried
before a military court; he faces several charges
including the same two held against Muhannad al-Hassani,
weakening nationalsentiments and conveying within Syria false news
that could debilitate the morale of
the nation.
The SKeyes Centre for Media and Cultural Freedom condemns the
sentence issued
against the lawyer Muhannad al-Hassani, and demands the Syrian
authorities to put an
end to its arbitrary arrests, especially against personas of
opinion and conscience, andcalls on these authorities to respect
all the international conventions and covenants that
Syria has signed, and which call for the respect of all opinions
including dissenting
opinions, and which also agree with the spirit of the Syrian
constitution and laws.
