FREEDOMHOUSE SEEKING TO FUND HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER

S E C R E T DAMASCUS 000433 NOFORN SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/PI, DRL/NESCA LONDON FOR TSOU, PARIS FOR WALLER E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/22/2019 TAGS: PREL PHUM SY SUBJECT: FREEDOMHOUSE SEEKING TO FUND HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER REF: A. DAMASCUS 00129 ¶B. DAMASCUS 00210 ¶C. DAMASCUS 00306 Classified By: CDA Maura Connelly for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (U) This is an action request, see para 6. ¶2. (S/NF) The well-known Damascus-based human rights lawyer Muhanad al-Hasani (strictly protect) reported to us on June 17 that Marwan Malouf, who identified himself as a representative of Freedomhouse, had visited Syria recently and offered al-Hasani $5,000 in support of his legal work for human rights and civil society activists. Mr. Malouf also reportedly told al-Hasani to forward names of any families of incarcerated civil society activists who might require financial assistance. ¶3. (S/NF) According to al-Hasani, Malouf said Freedomhouse needed a third-party to route the money to al-Hasani and asked if he knew someone trustworthy to courier the money into Syria. After Malouf's departure, and after al-Hasani had determined Freedomhouse was a legitimate NGO, al-Hasani identified an individual to Malouf who was willing to carry the funds into the country. Al-Hasani also requested additional funds for the family of the recently jailed web-journalist Habib Saleh (ref B). ¶4. (S/NF) Al-Hasani contacted us to find out if he would be safe in accepting these funds. Following the Habib Saleh trial, al-Hasani had experienced intense pressure from state security services who deemed him to be too much of an "activist," sometimes calling him in for questioning twice a day. ¶5. (S/NF) COMMENT: Post was unaware Freedomhouse had an operation of this sort targeting human rights activists in Syria. We informed al-Hasani that accepting money for human rights work from any international source always carried risks in Syria and that we would look into the matter. END COMMENT. ¶6. (S/NF) Action Request: Post requests any information the Department has on Freedomhouse's work in Syria and whether USG funds are involved. Additionally, if so, is Freedomhouse's operation consistent with Department's review of Syria policy as recommended in refs A and C. CONNELLY