The Transitional Government in Syria arrested the international law expert Shamis Mahfouz from his office in Damascus on charges of “conspiring against state security,” confiscating his archives and transferring him to Investigation Branch 202.
The Syrian Transitional Government arrested Dr. Shamis Mahfouz, an international law expert and lawyer, the head of the “Democratic Civil Gathering,” from his office in central Damascus on December 5.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the arrest was carried out by personnel affiliated with the Arnous Center. The following day, Mahfouz was taken to his home, where his entire personal archive, including his laptop and mobile phone, was confiscated. He was then transferred to the Investigation Branch 202 (formerly known as the Criminal Security Branch) in the Moadamiyah al-Sham area.
The Observatory reported that Mahfouz’s arrest stemmed from accusations of “conspiring against state security,” following his appearances in several television interviews and media events, where he criticized the Transitional Government’s policies, and called for political reforms and hold accountability for past human rights abuses.
Shamis Mahfouz is one of the most prominent legal figures opposed to the Baathist regime, and his arrest, according to the Observatory, comes in the context of a continuous effort to restrict independent human rights and legal voices in Syria, amid fears that he will be subjected to violations during his detention, especially after the confiscation of his archive and electronic devices related to his human rights work.
Syria: Transitional Government arrests international law expert
