Yara Faris has been released following her arrest on 8 December 2013 for providing aid to internally displaced persons who had fled other areas of the country due to the fighting © Private Good news: Syrian woman released from detention 2 July 2014, 03:17PM Topics: Good News A Syrian woman has been released from detention under the terms of a presidential amnesty, which pardons individuals charged with certain offences. She is one of the few political detainees known to have benefited from this amnesty thus far. What happened? Yara Faris was originally arrested by officers from Syria’s State Security agency on 8 December 2013 and held at a State Security branch in Damascus for the first ten days of her detention. She was then brought before an investigating judge of a criminal court in the Rif Dimashq Governorate, who referred her case to the Anti-Terrorism Court and moved her to Adra Prison. She had been accused of financing acts of terrorism under Article 4 of the 2012 Anti-Terrorism Law, apparently because she had been helping to provide food and assistance to internally displaced people who had fled from conflict elsewhere. Syrias 2012 Anti-Terrorism Law The Syrian Anti-Terrorism Law, enacted by President Bashar al-Assad in 2012 has been widely criticized by human rights groups due to its over-broad definition of terrorism. According to information received by Amnesty International, political and other peaceful activists have been tried before the Anti-Terrorism Court, which is believed to have been set up to target opposition members within the country. It has also been reported that others detained under this law have been beaten with whips, sticks and electric shock rods while being held in military custody. This amnesty comes after President al-Assad’s controversial re-election after voting took place on 3 June. Anwar al-Bunni, a human rights lawyer and an ex-prisoner of conscience in Syria himself, said: This is the most important amnesty since Hafez al-Assad (the presidents father and predecessor) came to power nearly 45 years ago. However, this is not the first time an amnesty has been granted for prisoners detained under the Anti-Terror law. Yara Faris with her husband Maher Tahan who is still being held © Private After a similar amnesty in October 2012, Philip Luther, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at Amnesty International called on the Syrian Government to: ...free all prisoners of conscience immediately and unconditionally. All others should be charged with a recognisable criminal offence and tried in accordance with international fair trial standards, or released. How did Amnesty respond? Yara was the subject of an Amnesty International Urgent Action which was sent out globally. In Australia, 2,700 people signed our online petition, created in collaboration with Care2, calling on the Syrian Government to drop the charges against Yara and for her release. It is believed that the attention on her case following the Urgent Action may have contributed to her release. We would like to thank everyone who took action on behalf of Yara – your efforts were greatly appreciated not only by Yara herself but everyone close to her. Act now online Urge Syrian authorities to release Maher Tahan What next? Whilst this amnesty is both welcome and extensive, the Anti-Terrorism law in Syria still exists in its current form as the conflict in Syria enters into its fourth year. Millions have now been displaced and those like Yara, who seek to help these internal refugees, still risk detainment. Amnesty’s 2013 Annual Report highlights the wide range of issues which Syrians continue to face. The Eyes on Syria website has an interactive map of evidence, showing Human Rights issues within the country, with links to how you can take action. Yara’s husband, Maher Tahan continues to be held in conditions amounting to an enforced disappearance. You can take action for Maher here.
Posted on: Thu, 03 Jul 2014 08:26:40 +0000
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