21 July 2010

Syria: Human Rights Activist Disappeared while Leaving Syria

kamal_sheiko
Kamal Sheikho
On June 23 2010, Kamal Sheikho, a human rights activist and journalist, was disappeared by Syrian security forces at 'Jedeidat Yabus' border crossing en route from Damascus to Beirut. Today, Alkarama sent his case to the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances requesting its intervention.

 

Kamal Sheikho, 32, is a member of the Committees for the Defense of Democratic Liberties and Human Rights in Syria. In June 2010, he published interviews, on the "All4Syria" website, with three previously imprisoned (now released) signatories of the Damascus Declaration: Akram Al-Bunni, Jabr Al-Shawki and Waleed Al-Bunni.

Alkarama expresses its deepest concerns regarding Kamal Sheikho's disappearance, which came simply as a result of his work as a journalist.

The recent arrest of Kamal Sheikho serves only to reinforce the custom of respression in Syria. Alkarama calls on Syria to abolish its State of Emergency, which has plagued the country with human rights violations for more than forty years.

Mauritania - HR Instruments

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)

ICCPR: Accessed on 17.11.2004
Optional Protocol: No

State report: Due on 01.11.2017 (2nd)
Last concluding observations: 20.11.2013

Convention against Torture (CAT)

CAT: Accessed on 17.11.2004
Optional Protocol: Yes
Art. 20 (Confidential inquiry): No
Art. 22 (Individual communications): No

State report: Due on 31.05.2017 (2nd)
Last concluding observations: 18.06.2013

International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CED)

CED: Ratified on 03.10.2012
Art. 33 (Inquiry procedure): Yes

State report: Overdue since 03.11.2014
Last concluding observations: N/A

Universal Periodic Review (UPR)

Last review: 11.2010 (1st cycle)
Next review: 2015 (2nd cycle)

National Human Rights Institution (NHRI)

Commission Nationale des Droits de l'Homme (CNDH) – Status A

Last review: 05.2011
Next review: 2016