2011: Syria: Najati Tayara
Bergen, 16 May 2011
His Excellency President Bashar al-Assad
President of the Republic
Presidential Palace
Abu Rummaneh, Al-Rashid Street
Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic
Fax: + 963 11 332 3410
His Excellency Brigadier Mohamed Shaar
Minister of Interior,
Merjeh Circle
Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic
Fax: + 963 11 222 3428
Email: admin@civilaffair-moi.gov.sy
Your Excellencies,
As a member of Writers in Prison Committee, Norwegian PEN, I am deeply concerned by the well-being and whereabouts of writer and editorNajati Tayara.
Najati Tayara was arrested on 12 May 2011 in the city of Homs after he gave a telephone interview for Aljazeera TV on the crackdown by Syrian forces on peaceful protesters in Homs. His whereabouts are unknown and he has no contact with his family or lawyers. We are concerned about Tayara’s safety, and seeking assurances that he is not being tortured
or ill-treated in detention which violates Article 5 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
I seek your assurance, Your Excellencies, for immediate and unconditional release of Tayara and of all those currently detained in violation of Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Syria is a state party
Confident that you, Your Excellencies, will take action accordingly, I remain
Yours sincerely,
Trine Kleven
Chair of the Writers in Prison Committee, Norwegian PEN
COPIES TO:
The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oslo
The Royal Norwegian Embassy in Syria
Mezzeh, Eastern Villas, 2 Shafei Street
P.O. Box: 7703
Damascus, Syria
