Reports received by the Gulf Center for Human Rights (GCHR) confirm that Syrian security authorities transferred prominent human rights defenders Mazen Darwish, Hani Al-Zitani and Hussein Gharir from their place of detention at Adra prison to an unknown location on 6 May 2015.  There is no information as of this time about their whereabouts.

The Judge in the Anti-Terrorism Court where they are being tried, Redha Mousa, decided to postpone the verdict in their case until 1 June 2015. This is the 23^rd postponement since the start of the trial.

The Syrian Air Force Intelligence arrested the three human rights defenders during a raid on the offices of the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM) in Damascus on 16 February 2012. Darwish is the director of the SCM while Al-Zitani and Gharir are both staff members. They were detained for approximately one year in security branches in conditions amounting to enforced disappearance, where they were subjected to ill treatment and torture. They were then transferred to Adra Central Prison in Damascus.

On 24 March 2014, the three men were charged by the General Prosecutor at the Anti-Terrorism Court in Damascus with “publicising terrorist acts” pursuant to Article 8 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 2012. The SCM is a key non-governmental organization working to disseminate information regarding the human rights situation in Syria. Since then, the court has repeatedly postponed their trial.

The GCHR believes that the charges presented to Mazen Darwish, Hani Al-Zitani and Hussein Gharir and their on-going enforced disappearance are solely related to their peaceful and legitimate human rights work. The GCHR is deeply concerned about their enforced disappearance by the authorities, whom we hold fully responsibility for their lives, safety and security.

The GCHR calls on the international mechanisms including those in the UN system to take action immediately in relation to the enforced disappearance of the three human rights defenders.

The GCHR urges the authorities in Syria to: 

1. Declare the whereabouts of Mazen Darwish, Hani Al-Zitani and Hussein Gharir immediately and allow their families to visit them;
2. Immediately and unconditionally drop all charges against Mazen Darwish, Hani Al-Zitani and Hussein Gharir and ensure that the case against them is discontinued;
3. Immediately and unconditionally release Mazen Darwish, Hani Al-Zitani and Hussein Gharir in addition to all the detained human rights defenders in Syria;
4. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Syria are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment. 

The GCHR respectfully reminds you that the United Nations Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by consensus by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1998, recognises the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders, their right to freedom of association and to carry out their activities without fear of reprisals. We would particularly draw your attention to Article 6 (c): “Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others: (c) To study, discuss, form and hold opinions on the observance, both in law and in practice, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and, through these and other appropriate means, to draw public attention to those matters“, and to Article 12 (2): “The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present declaration.”