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On 28 March 2012, human rights defender and lawyer, Mr Abdulla Al Khalil was released from incommunicado detention.

He is a member of the Detainees Defence Team in Al Riqqa and has provided free legal aid and financial assistance to dozens of victims of arbitrary arrest and detention since the uprising in the country began in March 2011.

On 28 March 2012, Abdulla Al Khalil was released from incommunicado detention and reunited with his family. According to information received he was beaten and ill-treated while in detention.

He was arrested on 3 February 2012, by agents thought to belong to Syrian military security and was held incommunicado in an undisclosed location until his release. The arrest of the human rights defender came three days before he was due to appear before a court in Al Riqqa on charges of aggression on state property and illegal building under the provisions of the penal code and law no. 59 of 2008.

While Front Line Defenders welcomes the release of Abdulla Al Khalil it expresses grave concern over his incommunicado detention and the ill-treatment to which he was subjected while in detention which. Front Line Defenders reiterates its calls on the authorities in Syria to guarantee in all circumstances that lawyers and human rights defenders in Syria are able to carry out their legitimate and peaceful human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions, including judicial harassment.

For further information see Front Line Defenders urgent appeals dated 1 February 2012 (http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/17243) and 8 February 2012 (http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/17321).

You can find additional information on the situation for human rights Defenders in Syria. HERE