16 August 2011

Syria : Hanadi Zahlout, young activist, detained by security forces

Hanadi Zahlout was arrested on 4 August as she was meeting friends in a restaurant in Jaramana, a small city near Damascus. Aged 29, she had participated in the coordination of the demonstrations and worked on women's rights.
Like the Assad family, she is from Alawite descent which could have made her a particular target in Syria, as she may be seen as a traitor to the Alawite-majority government.
Her arrest comes in the wake of thousands of arrests in Syria of protestors, including well-known human rights defenders and members of the opposition, due to massive and wide-spread demonstrations calling for democratic change in the country. Following her arrest, she was immediately transferred to the Al Fayha'a detention center in Damascus. She was subjected to physical and psychological mistreatment, and was forced to see her friend being tortured, so as to force her confess her implication in the demonstrations.

To date, Hanadi was neither presented before a judge nor was she granted legal assistance. Her arrest illustrates the severe repression which has unfortunately become a systematic pattern in the country since the beginning of the protests.

Alkarama submitted Hanadi's case to the Special Rapporteur on Torture today, and will continue to monitor her case closely.

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