On December 1, 2007 over 160 supporters of the Damascus Declaration for Democratic National Change gathered to elect a National Council of the Damascus Declaration and a five person leadership council from within that group.  The meeting in Damascus brought together a broad spectrum of Syria's fractured political opposition, together with leading human rights activists, in support of a document (Damascus Declaration) that calls for basic rights and freedoms for all Syrians, full observance of international treaties and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, democracy, and the rule of law.

 

In recent weeks, the Syrian authorities have detained over 40 activists associated with the Damascus Declaration.  Most recently, on January 7, Mohammed Haji Darwish, a political activist and former political prisoner was detained.  Other detainees include:

 

Dr. Ahmad Tohme, a dentist,  political activist and elected member of the National Council of the Damascus Declaration, detained in Damascus on December 9, 2007.

 

Jabr al-Shoufi, a teacher, member of the Executive Board of the Committee for the Defense of Freedoms and Human Rights in Syria (CDF), and elected member of the National Council of the Damascus Declaration, detained in Damascus on December 9, 2007.

 

Dr. Fidaa al-Hourani, a medical doctor and daughter of a former Syrian vice-president; she was elected president of the National Council.  She was detained in Hama on December 11, 2007.

 

Akram al-Bunni, a lawyer and human rights activist; he was elected as a member of the leadership group of the National Council. Akram al-Bunni is a former political prisoner, and the brother of the prominent imprisoned human rights lawyer, Anwar al-Bunni.  He was detained on December 12, 2007.

 

Dr. Walid Bunni, a medical doctor and democracy activist.  A former political prisoner, he was a founding member of several democracy promotion organizations.  He was taken into detention at his home near Damascus on December 17, 2007.

 

Dr. Mohammed Yasser Al-Ayty, a medical doctor and elected member of the National Council of the Damascus Declaration.  He was taken into detention at his home in Damascus on December 17, 2007.

 

Ali al-Abdullah, a journalist and member of the Committee for the Revitalization of Civil Society in Syria.  He is a former political prisoner and elected member of the National Council of the Damascus Declaration. He was taken into detention at his home in Damascus on December 17, 2007.

 

Fayez Sarah, a journalist and founding member of the Committee for the Revitalization of Civil Society in Syria, detained on January 3, 2008.

 

The nine detainees are all reported to be held in Damascus in the custody of the State Security Police, Information Branch, known as Branch 255.  They are reportedly subjected to beating and harsh treatment.  None of them have been able to communicate with lawyers or their relatives; they have not been charged.

The situation of human rights defenders in Syria has deteriorated over the past two years. The May 2006 "Beirut-Damascus, Damascus-Beirut" Declaration calling for better relations between Lebanon and Syria was followed by the largest crackdown on civil society since the repression of the "Damascus Spring" in 2001. The round-up of the supporters of the Damascus Declaration is a further escalation in that crackdown.

Numerous other human rights defenders and peaceful civil society activists remain in prison. Among them are writer and journalist Michel Kilo, human rights lawyer and activist Anwar al-Bunni, and pro-democracy dissident Mahmud Issa, who were convicted and harshly sentenced by the Criminal Court of Damascus. On April 24, 2007 Anwar al-Bunni was sentenced to five years on the charge of "disseminating false information likely to undermine the morale of the nation." Three weeks later Michel Kilo and Mahmud Issa received three years' imprisonment for "weakening national sentiment."

The prominent academic and pro-democracy advocate Aref Dalilah was arrested as part of the crackdown on the "Damascus Spring" in 2001 and continues to serve a 10-year prison sentence for criticizing the government. In 2006, he suffered a severe stroke and was reportedly denied proper medical care by the prison authorities. On May 10, 2007, activist Kamal al-Labwani, who has been detained in harsh conditions since November 2005 when he was arrested upon his return from a trip abroad during which he met with European and American officials,  received a 12-year prison term for "contacting a foreign government and inciting aggression against Syria."
 
In addition, the Syrian authorities have increasingly imposed travel restrictions on human rights defenders to prevent them from pursuing their legitimate activities. Among those who were recently barred from traveling are human rights defenders Mazen Darwish and Fahima Saleh Ousse and environmental activist Abdelkarim Daoun.