Lettre de l'IDHAE au président Bashar Al Hassad concernant la situation des avocats syriens, particulièrement Me Addallah Khallil

1. [Your Name here]
Your Excellency,
Human rights defender and lawyer Abdallah Al Khalil has been summoned to appear before the
criminal court in Al Riqqa on 6 February 2012 to face criminal charges.
Abdallah Al Khalil, a member of the Detainees Defence Team in Al Riqqa, has provided free legal
aid and financial assistance to dozens of victims of arbitrary arrest and detention since the
uprising in the country began in March 2011. Since he began this work he has been subjected to
an ongoing campaign of intimidation and harassment by the authorities, including detention,
judicial harassment and death threats.
On 6 February 2012, Abdallah Al Khalil is due to appear before the criminal court in Al Riqqa to
face charges including aggression on state property and illegal building under the provisions of
the penal code and law no. 59 of 2008. These charges carry with them sentences ranging from
two to six years imprisonment. The court summons against Abdallah Al Khalil comes less than a
month after the demolition of his farm house and threats to destroy his olive trees by order of the
Governor of Riqqa. During the demolition members of his family were attacked and his nephews
were beaten. As a result one of them had to be taken to hospital where he received stitches.
In April 2011, Abdallah Al Khalil received death threats perpetrated by an official of the ruling
Ba'ath party calling for his head be cut off and thrown into the Euphrates river. He reported this
incident and other verbal abuse and threats he received from Ba'ath party officials to the police
and lodged a complaint with the Attorney General. No action, was however, taken against the
perpetrators.
On 1 May 2011, Abdallah Al Khalil was arrested by the military security in Al Riqqa and
shackled and blindfolded for several hours while being held in solitary confinement. He was
interrogated on issues related to his defence of political detainees and sources of funding of his
work. He was transferred in the evening to the military intelligence department in the town of
Dier Al Zourr, still shackled and blindfolded, where he was interrogated further. On the third day
of his detention he was brought to Al Riqqa military police department and several hours later he
was transferred to the criminal security department in Al Riqqa where he was interrogated again
at length. On the fourth day he was presented before the investigating magistrate who questioned
him and remanded him in custody at Al Riqqa Prison on charges of taking part in unauthorised
demonstrations and inciting sectarian strife.
He was held without charge for a month on the order of the criminal security department in
Damascus despite the fact that his official period of detention expired ten days after his arrest. He
was held in a political security detention centre for four days where he was interrogated before
being transferred to Adra Prison where he was detained for several days. He was then taken to
the criminal security department in Damascus where he was held in harsh conditions in a cell
invested with insects including cockroaches. He was then taken back to Al Riqqa where he was
presented before a magistrate and subsequently detained at Al Riqqa criminal security detention
centre before being released.
Several days after his release he was included in a presidential amnesty decreed at the time and
he was handed back his mobile phone which had been confiscated after he managed to use it to
reach Al Jazeera TV while in detention. In the aftermath of his release he was subjected to a
smear campaign including accusations of drug and arms dealing, and receiving money from the
USA and and Europe. His clients were asked not to seek his services as a lawyer.

2. On 22 August 2011, the human rights defender was arrested again from inside the Justice Palace
building in Riqqa where he was taking part in a sit-down protest with fellow lawyers. He was
detained for one week along with 21 other lawyers on charges of taking part in a demonstration.
On 15 December 2011, Abdallah Al Khalil and his son Muhammad were arrested in front of his
home by a group of security officers and detained at the criminal security department in separate
cells. His son was released the following day, but Abdallah Al Khalil was held incommunicado in
solitary confinement during the first day and denied access to sanitary facilities. He was
interrogated during the second day of detention and charged with spreading false news and for
inciting and taking part in protests. During the interrogation he was questioned about articles he
posted on his Facebook page featuring torture and ill-treatment reported by his clients. While in
detention the Governor of Riqqa tried to force him to sign a document authorising the demolition
of his home, which he refused to do.
His clients, family and those working on his farms have also been threatened and intimidated as
part of the campaign against the human rights defender. As a result he has suffered damages to
his farm and incurred losses due to a drop in the number of clients seeking his legal services. Two
of his nephews, one of whom manages one of Abdallah Al Khalil's farms, are also at risk of being
tried on charges of stealing water. Further court summons are pending against more of his
relatives whom the authorities count as his supporters. Despite all of this he continues to work for
the defence of human rights and provides legal aid to an increasing number of peaceful pro-
democracy protesters.
I am deeply concerned about the Syrian authorities' campaign of judicial harassment,
intimidation, and death threats against human rights defender Abdallah Al Khalil and his family. I
believe that this campaign is an attempt to stop him from continuing his human rights work in
particularly from providing free legal aid to victims of human rights violations in the context of
the ongoing Syrian uprising.
I urge the authorities in Syria to:
1. Immediately stop all forms of harassment and intimidation against Abdallah Al Khalil and his
family including economic punishment, death threats and judicial harassment;
2. Drop all charges brought against Abdallah Al Khalil as I believe that these charges are
motivated by his legitimate and peaceful work for the defence of human rights;
3. Stop any order allowing the destruction of his farm olive trees and provide compensation for
the damages already caused to his farm including the demolition of his farm house;
4. Take all necessary measures to effectively and adequately ensure the physical and
psychological integrity and security of Abdallah Khalil and members of his family and those who
work with him;
5. Guarantee that all human rights defenders in Syria, are able to carry out their legitimate and
peaceful work in the defence of human rights, without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions
including judicial harassment.
Yours sincerely,
[Signature]