We are writing to inquire about the location, well-being and reasons for the detention of Mr. Ziad Wasef Ramadan, a Syrian national detained by Syria's security services since July 21, 2005 apparently in relation to the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on February 14, 2005.

The Euro¬Mediterranean Human Rights Network, the Observatory for the Protection of the Human Rights Defenders (a joint program between the International Federation for Human Rights and the World Organisation against Torture), Human Rights Watch and Human Rights First express their deep concern about the arbitrary detention and unfair trial in Syria of 12 members of the National Council of the Damascus Declaration for Democratic National Change. The undersigned organizations urge the Syrian authorities to halt the trial and release immediately and unconditionally these 12 human rights and political activists.

We are writing to urge you to use your position as Secretary General of the League of Arab States (“Arab League”) to raise human rights issues at the upcoming Summit of the Arab League in Damascus. This will be the first summit following the entry into force of the Arab Charter on Human Rights (the “Arab Charter”). By adopting the Arab Charter, Arab states have agreed “to place human rights at the centre of the key national concerns:” The Secretary General of the Arab League has a particular obligation to ensure that this goal is achieved.

Human Rights Watch writes to urge Dr. Ihsanoglu to use his position as Secretary General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference to support measures at the upcoming Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Conference in Dakar, Senegal on March 13-14 that would improve and strengthen the 1999 OIC Convention on Combating International Terrorism. In particular, the OIC should consider two amendments to the Convention to narrow its overbroad definition of terrorism and make absolutely clear that there is no sanction in Islam for deliberately attacking civilians, whatever the circumstances or justifications.

We are writing to express our deep concern about the whereabouts and well-being of Mr. Ali al-Barazi, a 45-year old resident of Jdaydet `Artuz, a Damascus suburb. Mr. al-Barazi, who works as a translator, was called in for questioning by Military Intelligence on July 28, 2007. Mr. al-Barazi left his home alone on that day to report to the Mantaqa Branch of Military Intelligence. He has not been seen since then. It is feared that he has become a victim of an enforced disappearance, a very serious crime under international law.

The national command of the Ba'ath Party in Syria, to which you belong, recently expressed your country's support for the Lebanese people.  

Human Rights Watch is deeply concerned about the recent arrests and detentions by Syrian security forces of several political and human rights activists in Syria. Over the last three months, Human Rights Watch has documented the arrest of 26 activists, including human rights defenders, in Syria. These arrests appear to be tied solely to the exercise by these activists of their guaranteed rights to freedom of expression and association.

In 2002, the United States reportedly transferred Maher Arar, a Syrian-born Canadian citizen, to Syria after having detained him in New York as he was en route from Tunisia to Montreal. On November 4 in Ottawa, Arar publicly asserted that, while held in Syrian prisons for 10 months, he was repeatedly tortured by being whipped with a thick electric cable and threatened with electric shocks. Human Rights Watch and other concerned groups are pressing the U.S. government to investigate Mr. Arar's case and the larger category of so-called "extraordinary renditions."