Petition Tag - idarat al-mukhabarat al-jawiyya

Isma’il Othman al-Salihah, age 70, is from from Maarat al-Numaan, in the north-western Idlib province. He was arrested on 19 March 2012. An eye-witness told Isma’il Othman al-Salihah’s son Ghassan al-Salihah, that his father was arrested at a temporary check-point near the city of Aleppo, known by locals to be controlled by the Air Force Intelligence Directorate (Idarat al-Mukhabarat al-Jawiyya)--possibly the most powerful of Assad's secret police agencies

Ghassan al-Salihah, who participated in pro-reform demonstrations and other activities, believes his father was arrested in relation to pro-reform activities by family members. Ghassan al-Salihah, who is not currently in Syria, was detained by State Security officials on 31 April 2011 in relation to his activities and was released without charge on 1 June 2011 in a general amnesty covering "all members of political movements, including the Muslim Brotherhood”.

Isma’il Othman al-Salihah is a retired secondary school teacher and, according to his son, has not been politically active since pro-reform demonstrations began in 2011.

If he was arrested solely in relation his son’s activities, then he is a prisoner of conscience who is at terrible risk of torture as long as he is being held incommunicado. There is further concern for Isma’il Othman al-Salihah’s well-being as he requires daily medication for diabetes and high blood pressure.

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