Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09DAMASCUS165
2009-03-02 13:13:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Damascus
Cable title:
CORRECTED ARREST DATE: CYBER-DISSIDENT TRIAL WILL
how-toVZCZCXRO6819 PP RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHDM #0165 0611313 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 021313Z MAR 09 FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6051 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0575 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 000165
SIPDIS
LONDON FOR WALLER, PARIS FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL SY
SUBJECT: CORRECTED ARREST DATE: CYBER-DISSIDENT TRIAL WILL
CONTINUE; EUROPEANS DEBATE FUTURE LEVEL OF REPRESENTATION
AT POLITICAL TRIALS
REF: A. 2001 DAMASCUS 03245
B. 2002 DAMASCUS 03302
C. 2005 DAMASCUS 01220
Classified By: CDA Maura Connelly for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 000165
SIPDIS
LONDON FOR WALLER, PARIS FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL SY
SUBJECT: CORRECTED ARREST DATE: CYBER-DISSIDENT TRIAL WILL
CONTINUE; EUROPEANS DEBATE FUTURE LEVEL OF REPRESENTATION
AT POLITICAL TRIALS
REF: A. 2001 DAMASCUS 03245
B. 2002 DAMASCUS 03302
C. 2005 DAMASCUS 01220
Classified By: CDA Maura Connelly for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Web journalist Habib Saleh, arrested on October 16,
faced the Second Criminal Court in Damascus on December 1 to
answer for articles posted on the internet deemed
threateningly critical of the state. The judge in the case
prevented the public from attending what was supposed to be
an open trial. Only Saleh's lawyers, Khalil Matouk and Jihan
Amin, were permitted entrance. According to the lawyers, the
court took no specific action on the case, but scheduled a
new hearing for January 20, 2009. Saleh's wife, who was
present at the courthouse, told us that Saleh is in "good
health" and is more comfortable than when he first arrived at
Adra prison, where he is currently being held. She stated
that Saleh's initial cellmates were extremely hardened
criminals who were generally intimidating and who reported
back to the guards everything Saleh did and said. Mrs. Saleh
said his situation "is better" now. She also informed us
that she and her family are able to visit Saleh on a weekly
basis.
2. (C) Habib Saleh faces criminal charges under articles
285-298, and 374 of the Syrian Penal Code for "weakening
national sentiment" and "inciting civil and sectarian war,"
according to human rights observers. Saleh, who was most
recently arrested on October 16 in his home town of Tartus,
has been the target of SARG retribution for his political
writings twice before. In 2002 he was sentenced to three
years in prison (ref B) for his activities during the
"Damascus Spring" (ref A-C) and was released on September 9,
2004. Police arrested him again on May 29, 2005 for
"spreading mendacious information," according to Reporters
Sans Frontieres, and sentenced him to three years in prison.
He was released on September 12, 2007. For the current
charges against him, Saleh could receive up to 15 years in
prison.
3. (C) International diplomatic presence at the trial was
minimal. The French and Swiss embassies were represented by
interns. The only Embassy officers were from the Netherlands
and Canadian Embassies. One diplomatic contact told us that
among the EU embassies there was "a discussion going on"
about whether they should "scale back" their representation
at political trials. He intimated that diplomatic
representation might be less frequent and at a much lower
level than in the past.
CONNELLY
SIPDIS
LONDON FOR WALLER, PARIS FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL SY
SUBJECT: CORRECTED ARREST DATE: CYBER-DISSIDENT TRIAL WILL
CONTINUE; EUROPEANS DEBATE FUTURE LEVEL OF REPRESENTATION
AT POLITICAL TRIALS
REF: A. 2001 DAMASCUS 03245
B. 2002 DAMASCUS 03302
C. 2005 DAMASCUS 01220
Classified By: CDA Maura Connelly for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Web journalist Habib Saleh, arrested on October 16,
faced the Second Criminal Court in Damascus on December 1 to
answer for articles posted on the internet deemed
threateningly critical of the state. The judge in the case
prevented the public from attending what was supposed to be
an open trial. Only Saleh's lawyers, Khalil Matouk and Jihan
Amin, were permitted entrance. According to the lawyers, the
court took no specific action on the case, but scheduled a
new hearing for January 20, 2009. Saleh's wife, who was
present at the courthouse, told us that Saleh is in "good
health" and is more comfortable than when he first arrived at
Adra prison, where he is currently being held. She stated
that Saleh's initial cellmates were extremely hardened
criminals who were generally intimidating and who reported
back to the guards everything Saleh did and said. Mrs. Saleh
said his situation "is better" now. She also informed us
that she and her family are able to visit Saleh on a weekly
basis.
2. (C) Habib Saleh faces criminal charges under articles
285-298, and 374 of the Syrian Penal Code for "weakening
national sentiment" and "inciting civil and sectarian war,"
according to human rights observers. Saleh, who was most
recently arrested on October 16 in his home town of Tartus,
has been the target of SARG retribution for his political
writings twice before. In 2002 he was sentenced to three
years in prison (ref B) for his activities during the
"Damascus Spring" (ref A-C) and was released on September 9,
2004. Police arrested him again on May 29, 2005 for
"spreading mendacious information," according to Reporters
Sans Frontieres, and sentenced him to three years in prison.
He was released on September 12, 2007. For the current
charges against him, Saleh could receive up to 15 years in
prison.
3. (C) International diplomatic presence at the trial was
minimal. The French and Swiss embassies were represented by
interns. The only Embassy officers were from the Netherlands
and Canadian Embassies. One diplomatic contact told us that
among the EU embassies there was "a discussion going on"
about whether they should "scale back" their representation
at political trials. He intimated that diplomatic
representation might be less frequent and at a much lower
level than in the past.
CONNELLY