Syrian Activist Sentenced to Death for Skype Interview with Al Jazeera
| May 22, 2012 |
Syrian activist Mohammed Abdelmawla al-Hariri was sentenced to death for “high treason and contacts with foreign parties,” as a result of an interview he gave to Al Jazeera about the situation in his hometown, Daraa. Al-Hariri was arrested and tortured on April 16, 2012. Human rights activists in Syria reported that his backbone was broken during interrogation, leaving him partially paralyzed.
Below is an excerpt taken from al-Hariri’s interview:
Al- Hariri: The regime is still not committed to the agreement (Annan’s agreement). The houses of many doctors in the city of Daraa were stormed, and there are still houses being shelled in many other cities. Having a stethoscope or other medical equipment can be considered a crime, saving lives is like committing a crime. If you want to count how many doctors now live in Daraa, it is less than the amount of fingers on your hand. Most of them are either in jail or in exile. Also, there are activists and protestors who are still in prison, and there are thousands and thousands being chased by the Assad regime. The regime has agreed on the Annan plan and they keep trying to provoke and upset the people and the Free Syrian Army by maintaining the brutality and increasing the death rate.
Anchor: Why is the regime killing doctors?
Al-Hariri: The regime is targeting and killing doctors because they are treating injured civilians and giving them first-aid. Yesterday the demonstrations in Daraa were all peaceful, but the regime stormed against them and many were killed and injured by the security forces.
After sentencing, al-Hariri was transferred to Saydnaya Prison, notoriously known as “Syria’s black hole,” where prisoners have very limited contact with the outside world, where he is currently on death row.
Below is an excerpt taken from al-Hariri’s interview:
Al- Hariri: The regime is still not committed to the agreement (Annan’s agreement). The houses of many doctors in the city of Daraa were stormed, and there are still houses being shelled in many other cities. Having a stethoscope or other medical equipment can be considered a crime, saving lives is like committing a crime. If you want to count how many doctors now live in Daraa, it is less than the amount of fingers on your hand. Most of them are either in jail or in exile. Also, there are activists and protestors who are still in prison, and there are thousands and thousands being chased by the Assad regime. The regime has agreed on the Annan plan and they keep trying to provoke and upset the people and the Free Syrian Army by maintaining the brutality and increasing the death rate.
Anchor: Why is the regime killing doctors?
Al-Hariri: The regime is targeting and killing doctors because they are treating injured civilians and giving them first-aid. Yesterday the demonstrations in Daraa were all peaceful, but the regime stormed against them and many were killed and injured by the security forces.
After sentencing, al-Hariri was transferred to Saydnaya Prison, notoriously known as “Syria’s black hole,” where prisoners have very limited contact with the outside world, where he is currently on death row.
