Exiled Syrians tell of long arm of the regime

SYRIAN OPPOSITION activists in Europe and the Americas have been “systematically monitored and harassed” by embassy officials and intelligence agents, Amnesty International has reported.

Researcher Neil Sammonds observed that the campaign to intimidate opponents showed that “the Syrian government will not tolerate legitimate dissent and is prepared to go to great lengths to muzzle those who challenge it publicly”.

In its 26-page briefing paper entitled, “The Long Reach of the Mukhabaraat: Violence and Harassment Against Syrians Abroad and Their Relatives Back Home”, Amnesty documented cases of more than 30 activists living in eight countries, including the US, Britain, Canada and France, who say they have been verbally intimidated by embassy officials and filmed at protests and meetings.

Some have said relatives in Syria have been visited, interrogated and threatened by agents of the mukhabaraat(intelligence) and threatened if family members continue anti-regime efforts.

“Abeer”, an expatriate woman living in Ottawa, told Amnesty that Syrians living there were monitored by a local association linked to the regime. During gatherings protesting at the government’s crackdown on opposition demonstrations in Syria members of this association photographed participants, she said, and took notes on their behaviour.

A similar pattern of harassment has taken place outside the Syrian embassy in Washington while activists elsewhere have been monitored “by other means”. Amnesty quoted Alaa Basatneh (19), a student living in Illinois, who said a Facebook friend in Damascus had been forced to open his account by intelligence agents after his arrest in August, exposing his contacts.

Shortly after his release, Ms Basatneh received a Facebook message saying: “ ... you agent, you traitor ... Chicago girl. We are waiting for you to come to the airport [in Damascus] so we can show you what is good for you and for what you are doing. We will make an example out of you.”

Amnesty cited the case of Mamoun Jandali, a 73-year-old doctor, and his wife, Lina Droubi (66), living in the central Syrian city of Homs who were beaten by security agents after their son, Malek Jandali (38), a US resident since 1994, took part in a pro-reform demonstration in July. A composer and pianist, he performed a patriotic song calling for a free Syria.

Three UK-based Syrians from Deraa, the cradle of the protest movement, were asked by the embassy in London to organise pro-regime rallies. “‘If you don’t do it,’ they said, ‘there’ll be problems for you here and your families in Syria.’”