(By Lama Shammas; Translation by Yusra Ahmed)
“Syrians are not numbers”, a campaign launched by many activists as a condemnation remark to the atrocious photos of prisoners died under torture in Mezzah Military Hospital (601) in Damascus.
Rami al-Asheq, a founder of the campaign told Zaman al-Wasl that campaign had started after photos leaked by Caesar, which showed martyrs died under torture in regime’s prison, where he discovered many friend among them, which was a real shock for him.
Al-Asheq mentioned that campaign started by personal effort from Mais Edward who lives in Sweden and Eiad Charbaji who lives in USA.
“Activists decided to unite their effort, therefore, writer Gharam al-Hussin created a facebook page for the campaign in Arabic and English, and supported by activist and doctor Liat Banna, while Tamer Turkmani designed the cover picture which was a poster presented a collection of martyrs photos.
Rami al-Asheq confirmed that many activists have participated and supported the campaign behind the scene, describing the campaign as an organized reaction to the crime of the century which came to light by Caesar’s leaked photos.
According to al-Asheq, activists started to communicate with families of torture’s victims, who are Syrians and others who have dual nationalities to encourage them to pursue criminal lawsuits against the Syrian regime in their new countries. “That the only way to get around the Russian and Chinese VITO against issuing any condemnation decision from the Security council, it is a huge crime and we need to work effectively to bring justice, not to be only numbers on TV channels and newspapers”. al-Asheq explained.
The campaign founder considers that social media still can make difference and effects as long as it had been wisely used and targeted the correct recipients. “We target Syrians and non-Syrians and we have Europeans and activists of other nationalities who would speak in their languages and try to deliver the message to their people, the campaign has started in English and Arabic and it would develop more”.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights, in report issued last September, said at least 215,000 people were arrested by Syrian security since the revolution erupted in March 2011. (4,500 of them are women and 9,000 are less than 18).
According to the report, 2630 detainees were tortured to death, and 70,000 cases documented as enforced disappearance.
Photos illustrate apparent actions of serious international crimes committed in the chambers of security services against 11,000 detainees, according to human rights advocates.
Syria is not a member of the International Criminal Court. The only way the court could prosecute someone from Syria would be through a referral from the United Nations Security Council.
More than 220,000 people have been killed in Syria since the revolt against Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011, the United Nations says.
Zaman Al Wasl
Comments About This Article
Please fill the fields below.