§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will make representations to the government of Syria about the continuing state of emergency; the citizen and civil rights of the Syrian Kurds; and allegations of torture by those detained by security police. [HL657]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanWe regularly raise our concerns about Syria's human rights record, bilaterally and in conjunction with EU partners. Most recently, the EU made a demarche to the Syrian authorities on 16 December 2003 in respect of those arrested in Aleppo for protesting against the continuing state of emergency. EU representatives have attended all the court hearings in this case. The EU is also trying to gain access to the hearings against eight Kurdish defendants taking place in the (usually) closed State Security Court. Bilaterally, my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Bill Rammell) spoke of Syria's human rights failings in an adjournment debate in the House on 2 July 2003(Official Report, cols.139WH-146WH), and my honourable friend the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mike O'Brien) raised the issue with President Bashar al-Assad during his visit to Damascus on 5 March 2003.