Haitham al-Maleh
Encyclopedia
Haitham al-Maleh is a leading Syrian human rights
activist and former judge. He is an outspoken critic of the current Syria
n regime under Bashar al-Assad
and has been imprisoned by the Syrian government as a political prisoner on several occasions since the 1960s. Maleh has become an important opposition figure in the 2011 Syrian uprising
.
The Syrian government ordered Maleh's arrest and detention numerous times because of his human rights activities. Maleh was jailed as a political prisoner between 1980 and 1986 because he publicly criticized human rights abuses committed by the government, the Emergency Law, and violations of the Syrian Constitution. He went on hunger strikes at least twice during his detention.
Maleh and other human rights activists founded the Human Rights Association in Syria
in July 2001, and he was elected president of the organization, a position he held until 2006. He has been active in Amnesty International
since 1989.
Maleh wrote several times to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
criticizing the human rights
situation in his country. Writing as the president of the Syrian Human Rights Association, he demanded constitutional reforms and the lifting of the Emergency Law.
He has a received many awards for his defense of human rights in Syria, including the Dutch Human Rights Prize awarded to him in 2006. The Syrian Government refused to allow him to leave the country to receive the award in Holland. After weeks of uncertainty he learned of the final refusal to grant him an exit visa only the day before the ceremony. In 2004 Maleh received the French National Consultative Commission of Human Rights "Human Rights Honor Award" for his research on torture
in Syria, and the annual award for the dignity of the Geneva Human Rights Defenders in 2010, in addition to other awards and honors.
, a U.S. government-funded London-based satellite channel associated with the Syrian opposition. He was referred to the Damascus military court and tried on charges of spreading false and misleading information that would "affect the morale of the nation", and sentenced to three years prison.
He was released on 8 March 2011 after a presidential amnesty on the anniversary of the arrival of the Baath party
ascension to power, which was extended only to prisoners over 70 years old. As of July 2011 there are estimated to be 10,000 political prisoners in Syrian detention.
Maleh requested Syrian authorities to cease political detention permanently, release all political prisoners, and affirm the right of every Syrian citizen to express his opinion. He noted that political prisoners are those who voice their opinions, and are not advocates of violence.
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
activist and former judge. He is an outspoken critic of the current Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n regime under Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad is the President of Syria and Regional Secretary of the Ba'ath Party. His father Hafez al-Assad ruled Syria for 29 years until his death in 2000. Al-Assad was elected in 2000, re-elected in 2007, unopposed each time.- Early Life :...
and has been imprisoned by the Syrian government as a political prisoner on several occasions since the 1960s. Maleh has become an important opposition figure in the 2011 Syrian uprising
2011 Syrian uprising
The 2011 Syrian uprising is an ongoing internal conflict occurring in Syria. Protests started on 26 January 2011, and escalated into an uprising by 15 March 2011...
.
Background
Haitham al-Maleh earned a degree in law and a diploma in international law. He began his human rights activities as a practicing lawyer in 1957, then became a judge in 1958. The first Baathist government dismissed him from the judicial bench because of his public criticism of the 1963 Emergency Law, which suspended constitutional rights and codified martial law. He returned to the practice of law after his dismissal.The Syrian government ordered Maleh's arrest and detention numerous times because of his human rights activities. Maleh was jailed as a political prisoner between 1980 and 1986 because he publicly criticized human rights abuses committed by the government, the Emergency Law, and violations of the Syrian Constitution. He went on hunger strikes at least twice during his detention.
Maleh and other human rights activists founded the Human Rights Association in Syria
Human rights in Syria
Human rights in Syria have been described as "poor". Since 1963, emergency rule has remained in effect which gives security forces sweeping powers of arrest and detention....
in July 2001, and he was elected president of the organization, a position he held until 2006. He has been active in Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
since 1989.
Maleh wrote several times to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad is the President of Syria and Regional Secretary of the Ba'ath Party. His father Hafez al-Assad ruled Syria for 29 years until his death in 2000. Al-Assad was elected in 2000, re-elected in 2007, unopposed each time.- Early Life :...
criticizing the human rights
Human rights in Syria
Human rights in Syria have been described as "poor". Since 1963, emergency rule has remained in effect which gives security forces sweeping powers of arrest and detention....
situation in his country. Writing as the president of the Syrian Human Rights Association, he demanded constitutional reforms and the lifting of the Emergency Law.
He has a received many awards for his defense of human rights in Syria, including the Dutch Human Rights Prize awarded to him in 2006. The Syrian Government refused to allow him to leave the country to receive the award in Holland. After weeks of uncertainty he learned of the final refusal to grant him an exit visa only the day before the ceremony. In 2004 Maleh received the French National Consultative Commission of Human Rights "Human Rights Honor Award" for his research on torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
in Syria, and the annual award for the dignity of the Geneva Human Rights Defenders in 2010, in addition to other awards and honors.
Recent arrest
Maleh's most recent arrest was on 14 October 2009, a day after giving an interview on 'Panorama', a political analysis show on Barada TVBarada TV
Barada TV is a London-based, U.S. government-funded Syrian opposition satellite television network....
, a U.S. government-funded London-based satellite channel associated with the Syrian opposition. He was referred to the Damascus military court and tried on charges of spreading false and misleading information that would "affect the morale of the nation", and sentenced to three years prison.
He was released on 8 March 2011 after a presidential amnesty on the anniversary of the arrival of the Baath party
Baath Party
The Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party was a political party mixing Arab nationalist and Arab socialist interests, opposed to Western imperialism, and calling for the renaissance or resurrection and unification of the Arab world into a single state. Ba'ath is also spelled Ba'th or Baath and means...
ascension to power, which was extended only to prisoners over 70 years old. As of July 2011 there are estimated to be 10,000 political prisoners in Syrian detention.
Maleh requested Syrian authorities to cease political detention permanently, release all political prisoners, and affirm the right of every Syrian citizen to express his opinion. He noted that political prisoners are those who voice their opinions, and are not advocates of violence.
External links
- Haitham Maleh Foundation
- A Lifetime of Resistance in Syria Nation magazine. 1 September 2011