Human rights in Syria

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Syria
This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Syria

Constitution President Bashar al-Assad Prime Minister Muhammad Naji Etri People's Council Political parties Baath Party Elections: 2007 pres. 2007 parl. Governorates Human rights Foreign relations Foreign aid
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The human rights record of the Syrian Arab Republic has been evaluated by a number of different sources. Political rights reflect the one-party rule of Syria's Ba'ath Party, which is constitutionally designated as the ruling party. A state of emergency has been in effect since 1963.

The Assad regime significantly restricts freedom of speech, press, assembly, and association and imposes some limits on freedom of religion^{[citation needed]} and freedom of movement.

1 Sources
2 Political prisoners
3 Lebanese prisoners
4 Political rights
5 References and footnotes
6 External links

[edit] Sources

According to the U.S. State Department’s 2004 report on human rights, Syria’s human rights record remains poor. A state of emergency has been in effect since 1963. Security forces continue to commit numerous and serious human rights abuses including arbitrary arrest and detention, torture in detention, prolonged detention without trial, fundamentally unfair trials in the security courts, and infringement on privacy rights. Police and security forces are corrupt. Prison conditions are poor and do not meet international standards for health and sanitation. The regime significantly restricts freedom of speech, press, assembly, and association and imposes some limits on freedom of religion and freedom of movement. Kurds suffer systematic discrimination. After a brief period in 2000–2001 known as Damascus Spring, during which time independent debating clubs were established, satellite dishes became much more prominent, Internet cafés opened, new independent print publications were established, and political detainees from across the political spectrum were released, Decree No. 50/2001 was passed, which places severe restrictions on the media, especially the print media. According to Arab Press Freedom Watch, the current regime has one of the worst records on freedom of expression in the Arab world.

[edit] Political prisoners

On December 13, 2006, US President Bush decried [1] the Syrian government's record saying "The Syrian regime should immediately free all political prisoners, including Aref Dalila, Michel Kilo, Anwar al-Bunni, Mahmoud Issa, and Kamal Labwani. I am deeply troubled by reports that some ailing political prisoners are denied health care while others are held in cells with violent criminals."

[edit] Lebanese prisoners

Bush also said "Syria should disclose the fate and whereabouts of the many missing Lebanese citizens who "disappeared" following their arrest in Lebanon during the decades of Syrian military occupation. The Syrian regime should also cease its efforts to undermine Lebanese sovereignty by denying the Lebanese people their right to participate in the democratic process free of foreign intimidation and interference."

[edit] Political rights

In 2005, the mainly US government funded Freedom House rated political rights in Syria as "7" (1 representing the most free and 7 the least free rating), civil liberties as "7" and gave it the freedom rating of "Not Free". ^[1]