The Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression is deeply concerned about Syrian writer Hussein Isso who has been detained for five months now in the city of Hasaka by the security forces who raided his place and detained him on 3/9/2011. No information about him has come to light since that date.
News on the internet has been circulated recently on Isso’s deterioration of health saying that he became paraplegic during his five-months-old detention. The Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression is deeply concerned about Isso’s life and safety and holds the Syrian authorities fully responsible of the Syrian writer’s health condition. Note that Isso suffers from a heart problem, and there are fears that he’s not being allowed to take his medicine regularly, which could cause a further deterioration in his health. He also has had cardiac catheterization shortly before his arrest.
To show their solidarity and support, Syrian activists called for a sit-in at 11:30 am on 6/2/2012 in front of the Justice Palace in Hasaka under the title "strike and sit-in for you, Hussein," to demand the immediate release of Isso. The statement they issued mentioned that Isso "is a freelance writer working with a group of independent researchers, Kurds, Muslims, and Christians, on the development of Syrian civil society." The statement also expressed fears over the deteriorating health condition of Isso in detention.
The Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression strongly condemns the continued arrest of Syrian writer Hussein Isso for over five months, without sending him to trial, especially after news of the deterioration of his health in prison.
The center demands the Syrian authorities to release him immediately and unconditionally or refer him to a public court that meets the requirements transparent trial.
SCM stresses that the continued detention of citizens and media workers in Syria is a clear violation of the Decree No. 161 of 2011 that states an end of state of emergency in Syria. It is also a violation of Article 17 of the amended version of the Criminal Procedure in Syria, which states that a detainee should not be kept suspended for investigation for more than sixty days.
