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I expressly condemn the arrest of the prominent human rights activist Jdea Abdullah Nawfal on the border between Syria and Lebanon on 1 April.

This is not an isolated case. Nawfal’s arrest is the latest in a long list of politically motivated arrests of members of the opposition and human rights activists by the Syrian Government, whose goal is to silence all critical voices. In numerous cases, nothing more has been heard of the detainees. I strongly urge the Syrian Government to release Jdea Abdullah Nawfal and the countless other individuals detained arbitrarily.

Background information:
Nawfal was arrested on 1 April by Syrian security forces while travelling from Syria to Lebanon, on the border between the two countries. He wanted to attend a workshop on human rights in Lebanon. He is the head of the Center for Democracy and Civil Rights (CDCR), which was founded in 2011.

The 65‑year‑old Nawfal was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment in 1992 for his activities in connection with promoting human rights and democracy in Syria. He was also jailed for two months in late 2014.