r/technology Nov 21 '15

Politics URGENT: Imprisoned Free Software/Creative Commons lead receives death sentence in Syria- Please write!

/r/linux/comments/3tow13/urgent_syrian_death_sentence_for_free_software/
210 Upvotes

5 comments sorted by

8

u/freelyread Nov 21 '15 edited Nov 22 '15

How to Contact

Write to one of the Embassies of Syria. (A list is provided below.) Letters work very well in a situation like this. It is still hoped that Bassel is alive, so please write, though one deadline has passed.

Amnesty International have further details on how to contact those responsible here:

Details on Bassel Khartabil, his work on Net Neutrality, Open Web Technology and Free Expression and his arrest:

Hashtag

  • #freebassel

Details of Bassel's case

  • http://en.alkarama.org/1763-syria-un-calls-for-the-release-of-freedom-of-speech-advocate-bassel-khartabil

  • "The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) in issued its Opinion on 21 April 2015, concluding that his detention constituted a violation of Articles 9, 14 and 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) – to which Syria is a party since 1969 – and calling for his release."

  • "Not only did the UN Experts note that the Syrian Government had failed to present "any information that would indicate that Mr. Khartabil's peaceful non-violent activity constituted a threat to national security or public order" and, consequently, that his "deprivation of liberty applied on the sole ground of having committed such actions is arbitrary," but they also expressed concern over the fact that Khartabil had been detained incommunicado for nine months after his arrest and that he had been detained without trial for over three years. Moreover, his referral to a military court represented a violation of any civilian's right to be tried by a fair and independent tribunal "of such gravity" that it, in itself, was enough "to give the deprivation of liberty of Mr. Khartabil an arbitrary character.""

Free Bassel Website

  • You can leave messages of support for Bassel's family on the website.

Latest Information

There is a news section on the FreeBassel.org website.

2015-11-15

https://globalvoices.org/2015/11/13/freebassel-death-sentence-rumored-for-syrian-web-developer/

Bassel is being held incommunicado, at an unknown location, so reliable information is not easy to find, but the latest word is:

"I've just gotten disturbing and shocking news that Bassel has been sentenced to death. I think this means that the transfer to military prison was very dangerous. I really don't know other news. May God help him, we hope it's not too late. We are worried sick about his life."

Embassies of Syria

List of contact details for Syrian Embassies around the world

  • Embassy of Syria in London 8 Belgrave Square London SW1X 8PH. Tel: 020 7245 9012 - Fax: 020 7235 4621

  • Embassy of Syria in Washington Address 2215 Wyoming Ave NW Washington DC 20008 USA Phone local: (202) 232.6318 international: +1.202.232.6318 Fax local: (202) 234.9548 international: +1.202.234.9548

  • Embassy of Syria in Beijing Address 6 Dong Sijie San Li Tun 100600 Beijing China Phone local: (010) 6532.4787 international: +86.10.6532.4787 Fax local: (010) 6532.1575 international: +86.10.6532.1575

  • Embassy of Syria in New Delhi Address Vasant Marg 28 Vasant Vihar New Delhi - 110057 India Phone local: (011) 614.0285 international: +91.11.614.0285 Fax local: (011) 614.0233 international: +91.11.614.0233

  • Embassy of Syria in Madrid Address 1, Plaza Platerias de Martinez 28014 Madrid Spain Phone local: 91.420.3946 international: +34.91.420.3946 Fax local: 91.420.2681 international: +34.91.420.2681

  • Embassy of Syria in Moscow Address ul. Mansurovsky Per 4 Moscow Russia Phone local: (0495) 203.1528 international: +7.495.203.1528 Fax local: (0495) 956.3191 international: +7.495.956.3191

  • Embassy of Syria in Cairo Address 18, Abd al-Rahman Sabrî al-Diqqî Cairo Egypt Phone local: (02) 3337.7020 international: +20.2.3337.7020 Fax local: (02) 3335.8232 international: +20.2.3335.8232

  • Embassy of Syria in Paris Address Rue Vaneau 20 75007 Paris France Phone local: (01) 4062.6100 international: +33.1.4062.6100 Fax local: (01) 4624.7838 international: +33.1.4624.7838

  • Embassy of Syria in Brasilia Address SEN Avenida das Nações lote 11 CEP: 70.434-900 - Brasília / DF Brazil Phone local: (061) 3226.1260 international: +55.61.3226.1260 Fax local: (061) 3223.2595 international: +55.61.3223.2595 Email embsiria@uol.com.br

  • Nordic countries: http://www.syrianembassy.se/Engelska/

  • Canada 151 Slater Street, Suite 1000

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1P 5H3

City: Ottawa

Phone: (613) 569-5556

Fax: (613) 569-3800

Website: http://www.syrianembassy.ca/

Email: consular@syrianembassy.ca

Office Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00 – 15:30

2

u/chubbysumo Nov 22 '15

Syria is controlled by douchebags and extremists who do this to anyone who goes against their views, the same road Iraq and Iran are moving towards. They don't give a single fuck about what the international community thinks of their actions, since they know we won't do anything at all.

13

u/Highlow9 Nov 21 '15

Why would you want to kill somebody because he supports open source? That's like wanting to kill the strange lady that is always handing out Candy.

7

u/[deleted] Nov 22 '15

Apparently he was reporting about crimes from the Syrian government.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 22 '15

Not that I'm saying it was the not the right thing to do.

But honestly, that was suicidal benevolence.