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Alert

RSF appeals to Jacques Chirac, Lionel Jospin and Raimond Forni during Bashar al-Assad's visit to France

(RSF/IFEX) - On the occasion of Bashar al-Assad's visit to France, RSF has sent a letter to Jacques Chirac, Lionel Jospin and Raymond Forni, appealing to them to talk with the Syrian president about press freedom in Syria. RSF notably told them about its concern for the health of Nizar Nayyouf, who was recently released, and for 'Adel Isma'il, who is the last incarcerated journalist in Damascus. RSF includes Bashar al-Assad in its list of the world's thirty predators of press freedom.




Since he succeeded his father in July 2000, the Syrian president has authorised the publication of four private newspapers, but the new publications are hardly different from the governmental press, well-known for its propaganda. Many Syrian journalists live in exile. The last issue of the satirical newpaper "Addomari" was censored. The main Lebanese newpapers, like "El Hayat", which address topics considered sensitive by the government, such as human rights, are regurarly censored. The daily "An Nahar" has been banned for more than ten years.

Nizar Nayyouf disappeared on 20 June 2001 and reappeared the following night. He told RSF that men from the intelligence services abducted him in order to buy his silence about human rights in Syria. The journalist was released in May after being in prison for nine years. The Syrian authorities have prohibited him from leaving the country. After his release, the journalist applied for a passport. He wishes to be hospitalised in a foreign country. During his nine years in prison, he never received appropriate medical care. He believes he is suffering from a lymphoma (a malignant tumour of the glands) and from the after-effects of torture, to which he was subjected during his detention. His lower limbs are paralysed because of fractured vertebrae due to torture. He was crucified upside down and struck with iron bars. Today, he cannot walk without crutches.

One journalist remains imprisonned in Syria. 'Adel Isma'il, journalist with the Lebanese daily "Al Raïa", was arrested in 1996. Accused of being an activist with the banned Democratic Baath Party, he was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment. He is currently serving his sentence in Damascus' Seydnaya prison.