Re: Walid al-Bunni
To: His Excellency President Bashar al-Assad; His Excellency General Basam Abd Al-Majid; His Excellency Muhammad al-Ghafari
From: Jessica Fletcher
Date: 2009-08-04
Your Excellencies,
I am once again writing to follow up letters written to you from Lawyer’s Rights Watch Canada (“LRWC”) on June 2 and July 3, 2009 regarding our concern about continuing violations of the internationally protected rights of Mr. Walid al-Bunni. We understand from a reliable source that Mr. al-Bunni was acquitted by the Second Military Court of Damascus on June 17, 2009 due to lack of evidence. However, to our knowledge Mr. Al-Bunni remains detained in Adra Prison, which appears to penalize Mr. al-Bunni’s work in relation to human rights.
LRWC has written numerous letters over the past few years in response to the harassment and imprisonment of the lawyers, academics and activists involved in the Damascus Declaration for Democratic National Change (the “Damascus Declaration”). As such we view the ill treatment of Mr. al-Bunni as only the most recent example of a very serious problem in Syria. Many of these individuals also continue to be detained and harassed, leaving LRWC very concerned about how little progress has been made in the protection of Human rights.
LRWC continues to respectfully ask that Syrian authorities:
1) guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. al-Bunni;
2) release Mr. al-Bunni immediately and unconditionally from his current arbitrary detention; and
3) immediately put an end to any kind of harassment, including at the judicial level, against Walid al-Bunni, and all other human rights defenders in Syria.
In view of the reported violations of Mr. Walid al-Bunni’s internationally protected rights, LRWC requests details of the actions taken by your government to remedy past and prevent future violations of Mr. al-Bunni’s rights.
LRWC will continue to monitor the situation of Mr. al-Bunni the other activists detained in connection with the Damascus Declaration closely.
We thank you in advance for your reply.
