Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07DAMASCUS433
2007-05-09 15:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Damascus
Cable title:
CANADA STATEMENT ON SYRIA'S RECORD ON HUMAN
how-toVZCZCXYZ0002 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHDMA #0433 1291501 ZNR UUUUU ZZH ZUI RUEWMCE5951 1291519 P 091501Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC0000 INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE ZEN/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000433
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
PARIS FOR WALLER; LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL SY
SUBJECT: CANADA STATEMENT ON SYRIA'S RECORD ON HUMAN
RIGHTS/ELECTIONS
UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000433
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
PARIS FOR WALLER; LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL SY
SUBJECT: CANADA STATEMENT ON SYRIA'S RECORD ON HUMAN
RIGHTS/ELECTIONS
1. (SBU) THE CANADIAN EMBASSY ALERTED US THAT THE CANADIANS
HAD ISSUED A STATEMENT ON APRIL 26 TO EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT
THE SENTENCING TWO DAYS EARLIER OF SYRIAN HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER
ANWAR AL-BUNNI, THE TRIALS OF OTHER POLITICAL PRISONERS, AND
THE PROCESS SURROUNDING THE APRIL 22-23 PARLIAMENTARY
ELECTIONS HERE. POST REGULARLY MEETS WITH REPRESENTATIVES
FROM LIKE-MINDED EMBASSIES, INCLUDING THE CANADIAN AND
EUROPEAN MISSIONS, TO EXCHANGE INFORMATION AND ADVOCATE FOR
USG POSITIONS IN THE AREAS OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND CIVIL SOCIETY.
WE ARE PLANNING TO HOST A LIKE-MINDED MEETING LATER THIS
MONTH IN THE RUN-UP TO THE SYRIAN PRESIDENTIAL PLEBISCITE
EXPECTED TO TAKE PLACE AT THE END OF MAY.
2. (SBU) THE FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF THE CANADIAN STATEMENT:
THE HONORABLE PETER MACKAY, MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND
MINISTER OF THE ATLANTIC CANADA OPPORTUNITIES AGENCY, TODAY
MADE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT ON THE APRIL 24 TRIAL AND
SENTENCING OF HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER ANWAR AL-BUNNI TO FIVE
YEARS' DETENTION, AS WELL AS THE CONDUCT OF THE APRIL 22 AND
23 LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS:
"THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE OUTCOME
OF THE TRIAL OF ANWAR AL-BUNNI ON CHARGES RELATED TO HIS
EFFORTS TO BUILD A CULTURE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN SYRIA AND
DENOUNCE TORTURE IN SYRIAN PRISONS. WE ARE ALSO CONCERNED
ABOUT THE ONGOING TRIALS OF OPPOSITION FIGURE KAMAL LABWANI
AND INTELLECTUALS MICHEL KILO, MAHMOUD 'ISSA, KHALIL HUSSEIN
AND SULEIMAN AL-SHUMMAR.
"SYRIA MUST ENSURE THAT ITS DOMESTIC LAWS AND PRACTICES ARE
IN KEEPING WITH ITS INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS OBLIGATIONS.
CANADA URGES SYRIA TO RELEASE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS AND
TAKE CONCRETE STEPS TOWARD RESPECTING AND PROTECTING HUMAN
RIGHTS, AND GUARANTEEING FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, ASSEMBLY AND
ASSOCIATION, STARTING WITH THE RECALL OF ITS 44-YEAR-OLD
EMERGENCY LAW. SYRIA MUST ALSO TAKE FIRM MEASURES TO STOP
ARBITRARY ARREST, INCOMMUNICADO DETENTION, TORTURE AND CRUEL,
INHUMAN AND DEGRADING TREATMENT, AS WELL AS TO INVESTIGATE
ALLEGATIONS OF THESE PRACTICES, PROSECUTE PERPETRATORS AND
PROVIDE REMEDIES FOR THE VICTIMS.
"THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA IS FURTHERMORE CONCERNED WITH THE
SHORTCOMINGS OF THE SYRIAN ELECTION LAW, SYSTEM AND PROCESS.
SYRIA SHOULD GUARANTEE ITS CITIZENS THE RIGHT TO GENUINELY
DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATIVE AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, AS PART OF
A FULLY FAIR AND PARTICIPATORY POLITICAL PROCESS, AS PART OF
A MOVE TOWARD PROVIDING ITS CITIZENS FREEDOM, DEMOCRACY,
HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE RULE OF LAW."
CORBIN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
PARIS FOR WALLER; LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL SY
SUBJECT: CANADA STATEMENT ON SYRIA'S RECORD ON HUMAN
RIGHTS/ELECTIONS
1. (SBU) THE CANADIAN EMBASSY ALERTED US THAT THE CANADIANS
HAD ISSUED A STATEMENT ON APRIL 26 TO EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT
THE SENTENCING TWO DAYS EARLIER OF SYRIAN HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER
ANWAR AL-BUNNI, THE TRIALS OF OTHER POLITICAL PRISONERS, AND
THE PROCESS SURROUNDING THE APRIL 22-23 PARLIAMENTARY
ELECTIONS HERE. POST REGULARLY MEETS WITH REPRESENTATIVES
FROM LIKE-MINDED EMBASSIES, INCLUDING THE CANADIAN AND
EUROPEAN MISSIONS, TO EXCHANGE INFORMATION AND ADVOCATE FOR
USG POSITIONS IN THE AREAS OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND CIVIL SOCIETY.
WE ARE PLANNING TO HOST A LIKE-MINDED MEETING LATER THIS
MONTH IN THE RUN-UP TO THE SYRIAN PRESIDENTIAL PLEBISCITE
EXPECTED TO TAKE PLACE AT THE END OF MAY.
2. (SBU) THE FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF THE CANADIAN STATEMENT:
THE HONORABLE PETER MACKAY, MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND
MINISTER OF THE ATLANTIC CANADA OPPORTUNITIES AGENCY, TODAY
MADE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT ON THE APRIL 24 TRIAL AND
SENTENCING OF HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER ANWAR AL-BUNNI TO FIVE
YEARS' DETENTION, AS WELL AS THE CONDUCT OF THE APRIL 22 AND
23 LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS:
"THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE OUTCOME
OF THE TRIAL OF ANWAR AL-BUNNI ON CHARGES RELATED TO HIS
EFFORTS TO BUILD A CULTURE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN SYRIA AND
DENOUNCE TORTURE IN SYRIAN PRISONS. WE ARE ALSO CONCERNED
ABOUT THE ONGOING TRIALS OF OPPOSITION FIGURE KAMAL LABWANI
AND INTELLECTUALS MICHEL KILO, MAHMOUD 'ISSA, KHALIL HUSSEIN
AND SULEIMAN AL-SHUMMAR.
"SYRIA MUST ENSURE THAT ITS DOMESTIC LAWS AND PRACTICES ARE
IN KEEPING WITH ITS INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS OBLIGATIONS.
CANADA URGES SYRIA TO RELEASE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS AND
TAKE CONCRETE STEPS TOWARD RESPECTING AND PROTECTING HUMAN
RIGHTS, AND GUARANTEEING FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, ASSEMBLY AND
ASSOCIATION, STARTING WITH THE RECALL OF ITS 44-YEAR-OLD
EMERGENCY LAW. SYRIA MUST ALSO TAKE FIRM MEASURES TO STOP
ARBITRARY ARREST, INCOMMUNICADO DETENTION, TORTURE AND CRUEL,
INHUMAN AND DEGRADING TREATMENT, AS WELL AS TO INVESTIGATE
ALLEGATIONS OF THESE PRACTICES, PROSECUTE PERPETRATORS AND
PROVIDE REMEDIES FOR THE VICTIMS.
"THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA IS FURTHERMORE CONCERNED WITH THE
SHORTCOMINGS OF THE SYRIAN ELECTION LAW, SYSTEM AND PROCESS.
SYRIA SHOULD GUARANTEE ITS CITIZENS THE RIGHT TO GENUINELY
DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATIVE AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, AS PART OF
A FULLY FAIR AND PARTICIPATORY POLITICAL PROCESS, AS PART OF
A MOVE TOWARD PROVIDING ITS CITIZENS FREEDOM, DEMOCRACY,
HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE RULE OF LAW."
CORBIN