Again the Syria intelligence arresting more innocents in Homs city,
They arrested Gasaan Alkourdi who works In the reviing petrol company in Homs today 15th Jun in front of his colleagues, in very humiliating way, who lives in Baba Ghanoog neighbourhood and he was arrested before in 2008 in charges of holding extremist muslim ideas , he married and has one child.
And they arrested Muhanad ghanoom from babs Amro neighbourhood in Homs and they took somewhere unknown, and he is married and got 2 kids and it is believed that he will be jailed with his brother Jamaal in Sydnaya Prison who was injured in 2008 and been treated in Altall military hospital during the brutal practices in the prison at that time.
They also surrounded and arrested Zidan Altaalib in his house in Joobar in west Homs and they took him away from his family and he is Imam of Abo Bakr Mousque.
No reasons for arresting these people and I hope that will be fair trial or their destiny will be known for their family.
One day Syria will be free and these people will be free and our nation will move forward all we need is to be together, one heart and one hand and say no for their practices and say no to thier martial rules.
The Syrian Human Rights Committee (SHRC) has learnt from many sources in Aleppo that the Military Intelligence Branch in the city had summoned many people to the branch during the final week of Ramadan (11-19/9/2009). Those that were called upon came from all corners of the Aleppian society, ranging from old well-known families, the cultured and educated class, as well as business men and figures that engage in officially known voluntary and charitable acts.
These summons, which were implemented by orders from the highest authorities of the Military Intelligence Branch, did not fall short of interrogations and pressurizations, and lasted many hours. In fact, even after the interrogation sessions ended, the intelligence took those they had called upon to their homes, searched them for prohibited books. Many books, which are available for sale in Syrian bookshops and libraries, as well as personal computers and CD’s were confiscated from some of the homes searched.
SHRC was able to identify the names of some of those who were summoned, including: Dr. Ibrahim al-Taayih (specialist in Skin diseases), the dentist Mahmoud Aziza, the engineer Talal Shabariq, pharmacist Sa’ad Wafaa’I, businessman Waddah Bawadiqji, and the teacher Azzam Khanji.
It is also important to note that some of those who had been summoned had run for positions in the Syrian parliament in the previous elections, and some are active members of the assembly of the city of Aleppo, and many are also presidents and directors of licensed charitable organizations.
SHRC views these summons with extreme concern, worried that they may be a pre-requisite to a larger campaign which may prohibit their activities which provide beneficial services to the society and community in Aleppo, and urges the Syrian Authorities to put an end to the actions practiced by the Syrian security which leaves a negative impact on all, and to stop pressurizing the class in it’s society which serves it and provides beneficial services. SHRC also calls for an end to the constant tension which causes these practices and leads to division rather than national harmony in the country. Instead, SHRC requests that the path be widened and opportunities be offered to those that serve their community in a beneficial manner.
Syrian Human Rights Committee
23/9/2009
The oppressive mentality of Syrian Power Corpses have introduced a new method of political punishment against the new businessmen opponents managing to establish their political status . It is the over-exaggerated taxes that only appear when a member of Parliament raised his voice louder than the clapping sounds gathering in the Parliament Hall. This new type of opposition which basically came into existence from constitutional, legislative and legal channels, could not appeal to those whose interests are threatened and who want the Parliament (the People’s Council) to persist in clapping and supporting role. Therefore, they invented a new method of political blackmail; namely imposing over-exaggerated taxes adequate to destroy any national institution or industrial enterprise.
Years ago, MP Riadh Saif went bankrupted and relinquished the business world as a result of series of taxes that were imposed on him. Another point in the case is what happened to MP Moh’d Ma’moun Homsi, let alone what will happen to those with a another opinion in the People’s Council. All this indicates that the Syrian authorities are stuck to their approach announced on several occasions; namely, to delay political reforms till after completing the economic reform. This means a delay in considering the humane issue for hundreds of Syrians victimised by the suppressive policies throughout the past thirty years.
Before becoming a means of political pressure, the Syrian Taxation Law used to be source of horror for people due to its rubberlike nature that delgates responsible parties at the Ministry of Finance to adjust it on an ad hoc basis. Therefore, it has become usual for avarege people to pay income tax exceeds what is paid by a car rental company. It has become familiar to have the tax department impose a profit tax on a citizen selling an estate that exceeds in multiple amounts the price of that estate on the pretext of applying Ministry of Finance’s by-laws. A tax reform was one of the requests initiated by some members the Parliament whose requests victimized them.
It should be an illusion to think that the reform process can be effected in one part of the Society leaving the other domains till later. The economy can never go forward unless liberties are released, suppressive laws are abolished, and the emergency state is lifted. Politics will never be effective unless the humane issue of thousands of Syrians who are arrested, missed and exiled is settled. It is an integral process that must be implemented simultaneously.
In the seventies and eighties of the past century blackmail had been manifested by taking hostages from the opponent’s family members and detaining them; perhaps for years, and torturing them. Now, in the business age, the suppression tools have been developed to incorporate another economic dimension called persecuting non-compliant tax payers.
In the past ten years, taxes have become a nightmare chasing people and decent entrepreneurs. One visit to the Tax Department at the Ministry of Finance in Al-Mazra’a Area in Damascus must suffice to witness human tragedies, and to listen to fictions of virtual taxes with a backward date accumulation. We should not be exaggerating when saying that these taxes have resulted in the destruction and bankruptcy of many Syrians or even ending them up to a state of mere desperation. Unsurprisingly, these practices have targeted businessmen and industrialists members at the Parliament when they raised their voice in favour of a just and fair tax system.
Should it be a surprise after all to listen to the authorities complaining of poor investments and amazingly asking where the migrating and Arab capitals go in spite of the Law of Investment No. 10 for 1991?
On the pretext of protecting the public from "subversive ideas" or defending "national security and unity", some governments totally prevent their citizens from gaining access to the Internet. Others control a single ISP or even several, installing filters blocking access to web sites regarded as unsuitable and sometimes forcing users to officially register with the authorities. In a press release made by the well-known French human right organisation 'Reporters San Frontiers' on 9th August 1999, it said that the Internet is considered a two-edged sword for authoritarian regimes. On the one hand it enables any citizen to enjoy an unprecedented degree of freedom of speech and therefore constitutes a threat to the government. On the other, however, the Internet is a major factor of economic growth, due in particular to online trade and the exchange of technical and scientific information, which prompts some of these governments to support its spread.
"Reporters sans Frontiers" has selected 20 regimes that it regards as enemies of the Internet because they control access totally or partially, have censored or taken action against users.
The government of President Asad officially bans Internet access. Offenders may face prison sentence, just as they may for "unauthorised" contacts with foreigners! Only official organisations are allowed access to the Internet through the public telecommunications authority, whose ISP maintains web sites for state newspapers, the national agency SANA and a few ministries.
Syria has been the cradle of many human civilisations; knowledge and messages were emitted from the Levant and interacted with other world civilisations without apprehending fear or concern on its security and stability. Taking part in that flourishing marsh stimulated security, progress and prosperity in the region. Now, as the world is prepared to receive the third millennium, the Syrian authoritarian regime exceeds all limits by imposing ignorance, isolation, and successive restrictions on Syrian citizens, stripping them of all natural rights. Syria is considered now as underdeveloped country because the Syrian regime has apprehensions, and doubtful about the use of any modern product. Purchasers of typewriters, computers, printers and photocopiers should be monitored as it is likely to use them for opposition purposes. Fax use is very restricted, and users are obliged to register with the concerned authorities. Now it is the turn of Internet and electronic mail to be classified as taboo and unauthorised contact with foreigners!
The Syrian human rights committee calls on the government of president Asad to rectify the position of Internet immediately by doing the following:
The Syrian Human Rights Committee calls on the regime of president Asad whose government has signed the covenant to respect the undertakings his government made to respect civil and political rights of Syrian people.
