Damascus – Horrya Press:
Syrian Revolutionaries Gathering called for a transparent investigation into kidnapping and hiding Syrian Revolution activists: Razan Zaitouneh, Nazim Hammadi, Samira Khalil, and Wael Hamada. This comes as we mark five years since they disappeared in Duma, rural Damascus.
In a statement issued by the Political Bureau, the Gathering condemned the crimes of illegally kidnapping and hiding activists and civilians; considering these actions “crimes against the Syrian revolution and its just cause, as well as crimes against human rights, irrespective of the perpetrators, whether they are Assad Forces and Militias or Syrian Opposition Fractions which was supposed to struggle and fight for human freedoms”.
The Gathering held Jaysh Al-Islam responsible for the four activists disappearance, as the dominant force in the city of Duma at the time of the abduction, in addition to the fact that the investigation promised by the leadership of the faction to reveal the activists destiny was but was a formality characterized with serious shortcomings, especially in terms of secrecy of proceedings and results, and lack of seriousness and objectivity, in the absence of representative of the prosecution and the families of the abductees.
The Gathering demanded Jaysh Al-Islam again, as accused of the crime, to immediately disclose the information related to the crime, and accept an independent and transparent investigation.
he statement addressed duty-bearers in Syrian opposition and Syrian and Arab human rights organizations to immediately conduct a serious and transparent investigation into the case of Razan Zaitouneh, Nazim Hammadi, Samira Khalil, and Wael Hamada, and reveal their destiny, and the destiny of all other missing Syrians as well. Furthermore, it was emphasized that the case of the four abductees is part and parcel of freedom of the Syrian people, and that this crime of enforced disappearance will not be subject to statutes of limitations.
It is worth mentioning that an armed group broke into the office of Violations Documentation Center in the city of Duma in rural Damascus, in December 19th, 2013. They took activists and human rights defenders, : Razan Zaitouneh, Nazim Hammadi, Samira Khalil, and Wael Hamada, to an unknown destination. The city was then under the control of Jaysh Al-Islam Fraction.
* Translated by: Sura Alloush
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