Unfortunately, Al-Hassani is currently detained inside Adra prison along with his lawyer Haitham Al-Maleh, and will most likely be unable to to travel to Geneva for the October award ceremony. Both Al-Hassani and Al-Maleh are accused of "weakning national sentiment" and "spreading false news", though arrested at seperate times. Al-Hassani has been under constant surveillance by Syrian Security forces over the past six years and is currently subjected to a travel ban.

Al-Hassani's arrest

Al-Hassani was detained on 28 July 2009 after allegedly having reported on public sessions held at Damascus' State Security Court, which is of course illegal in Syria. On 10 November 2009, while in jail, Al-Hassani was disbarred in absentia by the Damascus Section of the Syrian Bar Association, effectively prohibiting him from practicing law for the rest of his life.

He is currently sharing a prison cell along with 70 other prisoners and denied proper medical care.

(from left to right) Rémy Pagani, Hans Thoolen, Reid Brody

Following the MEA's press conference formalities, Reid Brody added that with this announcement a strong message is being sent not only to the Syrian government, but also to the Western governments who choose to focus on Syria's debacles with Israel and Iran rather than address the growing issue of human rights violations across Syria.

Hans Thoolen said that he would invite the Syrian ambassador to Geneva for this year's award ceremony, adding that "in the past, on three or four occasions, ambassadors from previous laureate's countries have attended the ceremonies."

Context

Syria has a long history of repression of the freedom of expression and has instigated a campaign against not only against human rights defenders but also journalist and bloggers, in an effort to further gag its citizens and strengthen its stranglehold on civil society. Alkarama's most recent Syrian cases have for the most part been that of enforced disappearances and arbitrary detention resulting from the exercise of freedom of expression.

Al-Hassani's award serves to highlight the case of his lawyer, Haitham Al-Maleh, who was arrested after giving a telephone interview on the London-based Barada TV, while also bring attention to cases of Sheikh Abdul Rahman Koki and Ma'an Aqil, both now fortunately released however detained for similar reasons.