With reference to the press release issued by the Syrian Human Rights Committee (SHRC) on 5/3/2009 on the arrest of Sheikh Jihad Shaheen, a source from his family has related the following information:

On 5/9/2008, the security apparatus in Damascus arrested Sheikh Jihad Mahmoud Shaheen (born 29/10/1949, Al-Quneitra), the imam of the Al-Unnabi mosque in Damasucus due to his visit to his daughter in Jordan, who is married to a member of the National Salvation Front that lives outside the country, and whom have both confirmed that the visit was due to his daughter undergoing a surgical operation in Amman. Jihad Shaheen’s family did not receive any news about him until 20/9/2008, when the security apparatus raided his home (located in Bab Al-Sarijah neighbourhood) a second time and arrested his son, Muntasir Jihad Shaheen (18 years), a student at the University of Damascus, French Literature Department. When the family asked the intelligence apparatus about the fate of both father and son, they replied that they will remain detained until the daughter and her husband give themselves in. It is also important to note that Sheikh Jihad Shaheen has 12 children, eight of whom are children that he provides for. The youngest is five years old.

Nobody from the family of Sheikh Jihad Shaheen has been able to obtain information about the neither the fates of their breadwinner and brother, nor their location. They haven’t been able to visit them, ask about them or enquire what the accusations levelled at them are. The family of Sheikh Jihad Shaheen (Abu Anas) calls upon all human rights groups across the world and in Syria to call for the revelation of the fates of their breadwinner and his son, their place of detention, and the permission to be allowed to visit them.

SHRC calls upon the Syrian Authorities to reveal the fate of Sheikh Jihad Shaheen and his son, to release them immediately, and to stop arresting hostages and close the file of arbitrary and repressive arrests.

Syrian Human Rights Committee
4/6/2009