Your Excellency,

I am deeply concerned about the continued imprisonment of Mamun al-Humsi, Riad Seif, 'Aref Dalilah, Walid al-Bunni, Habib 'Isa, and Fawwaz Tello, prisoners of conscience who were arrested in August and September 2001 and are currently being held in ’Adra Prison, near Damascus. Amnesty International believes that these men have been imprisoned solely for the peaceful expression of their political beliefs, and is concerned that they have been subjected to further injustices by Syrian authorities, such as grossly unfair trials before criminal and state security courts and - in some cases - torture and/or other ill-treatment.

I urge you to immediately and unconditionally release Mamun al-Humsi, Riad Seif, 'Aref Dalilah, Walid al-Bunni, Habib 'Isa, Fawwaz Tello, and all prisoners of conscience in Syria. Until their release, I ask that you ensure that prisoners are given prompt, regular and unrestricted access to family, lawyers and doctors, and are not subjected to torture and/or other ill-treatment by members of the Syrian security services. I am particularly concerned for the safety and well-being of Mamun al-Humsi, who suffers from diabetes, and ‘Aref Dalilah, who suffers from deep vein thrombosis.

Finally, I urge you to take appropriate measures to guarantee the right of freedom of expression, assembly and association and the right to exercise these freedoms without interference, and to bring the procedures of the Supreme State Security Court (SSSC) and the Criminal Courts into conformity with the requirements for fair trial procedures under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Syria is a state party.

Thank you for your attention into this very important matter.

Sincerely,