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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.
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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.
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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.