Your Excellency,

We write concerning the situation of Mr Haitham Al Maleh whose state of health is seriously deteriorating after more than 6 months in detention. Mr Al Maleh is 78 years old and has worked his entire life defending justice and the rights of all Syrians.

Thursday 8 April 2010 marked the first public hearing in Haitham Al-Maleh's trial, case number 339/2010 of the Damascus Criminal Military Court, however proceedings were postponed until 22 April 2010 at Al-Maleh's request. Following questioning, Al-Maleh, a Syrian lawyer and human rights defender, told the Second Criminal Military Court that he was unable to receive private council at the refusal of prison authorities.

In what are two related cases of deportation: Baha Mustafa was deported back to Syria by Pakistani authorities on 4 May 2002; while his counterpart, Mohamed Abo Atthoth was also deported back to Syria by Turkish authorities on 4 February 1992. Upon their return, they were arrested, released, and then rearrested - They have both disappeared since the July 2008 massacre inside Saidnaya prison.

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Last Friday, 19 March 2010, Alkarama met with Iyas Maleh, son of Haithem Al-Maleh, the 78 year-old Syrian lawyer and human rights defender who was abducted by the Syrian authorities on 14 October 2009 and then brought before a military court. Haithem Al-Maleh faces a possible sentence of up to 15 years, in a court which violates many of the guarantees to a fair trial. He has been denied his prescription medications for over a month now, causing a serious decline in his health. His son calls for people around the world to keep putting whatever pressure they can to ensure his father's release.