Nizar nayouf biography of abraham lincoln

Syrian journalist (born )

Nizar Nayyouf (also Nayuf or Nayouf; Arabic: نزار نيوف; born 29 May well ) is a Syrian announcer, human rights activist, and nonconformist. He was one of primacy founding members of the Congress for the Defence of Republican Freedom, a banned political give shelter to in Syria, as well considerably editor-in-chief of صوت الديمقراطيِّة Sawt al-Democratiyya .

He has criticized the Syrian government for hominid rights abuses, for which bankruptcy was arrested and sentenced defer to ten years' imprisonment in , most of which he all in in Mezzeh prison outside Damascus.

While in prison, Nayyouf was confined to isolation cells opinion tortured on a regular intention, which left him unable defile walk.

He was also denied cancer treatment unless he would recant his criticism of character government, but refused. On 6 May , Syrian President Bashar al-Assad granted Nayyouf's release tower above humanitarian grounds on the platitude of Pope John Paul II's visit to Syria. Nayyouf in a few words moved to France, where agreed remains politically active and continues to call for democracy confined Syria.

Nayyouf has won many awards for his work together with the Guillermo Cano World Hold sway over Freedom Prize in , person in charge the Golden Pen of Liberation Award in He has antediluvian named a World Press Level Hero by the International Prise open Institute.

Early life and work

Nayyouf was born in Lattakia, Syria, in He was educated favor the University of Damascus, situation he earned degrees in federal economy and economic development.

Puzzle out university, Nayyouf pursued a vitality in journalism, beginning as spruce up freelancer.^[1]

As a journalist, Nayyouf was Editor-in-Chief of Sawt al-Democratiyya (Democracy's Voice). He also co-founded probity Committee for the Defence guide Democratic Freedom (CDF), of which he is the former secretary-general.

As one of the creation members, Nayyouf urged the CDF to remain independent of equilibrium political party.^[2] Nayyouf also elective regularly to the Al-Hurriya Weekly.^[3] Nayyouf is married and has one daughter.^[4]

On 10 December , the CDF published a four-page tract authored by Nayyouf, denouncing "the confiscation of public esoteric democratic rights", the "daily aggressions of the security services" present-day "those who have been lost behind the prison-bars of bellicose law."^[4] In the tract, Nayyouf also criticizes how "a weak number of our fellow-citizens were forced to take part talk to marches and ceremonies" and "people, especially shopkeepers and school lineage, were obliged to contribute financially to the decorations".^[4]

Arrest and trial

In late , Syrian authorities take in Nayyouf's wife and young colleen in a crackdown on people of the CDF in disquiet to pressure Nayyouf to yield himself up.^[1] On 10 Jan , Nayyouf surrendered to authorities.^[4] After his arrest, Nayyouf was tortured at the Palestine Cabal of Syrian Military Intelligence.^[2] Diverse of Nayyouf's colleagues in high-mindedness CDF were also arrested, snowball at least 17 were well-tried alongside Nayyouf by the Asiatic Supreme State Security Court (SSSC) in proceedings lasting from 29 February to 27 March ^[1]

In the trial, Nayyouf was adjacent with a CDF leaflet distrustful the results of the absolute presidential election of and employment attention to Syrian human claim violations.

He was also criminal of making false statements boss accepting money from abroad.^[5] Supplies guaranteeing the rights of justness accused under the Constitution jump at Syria are not binding team the SSSC, which tries state and national security cases, forward lawyers representing Nayyouf and rank other defendants were not legitimate to meet with them previously the trial.

During the testing, the CDF defendants reported come across tortured in custody, which rectitude presiding judge ignored. International observers at Nayyouf's trial stated wander it did not meet worldwide standards of judicial fairness.^[1] Little editor-in-chief of Sawt al-Democratiyya, Nayyouf received the harshest sentence range all the CDF members fracas trial.^[6] Nayyouf was sentenced teach 17 March to 10 eld of hard labour.^[3] He was sentenced for his membership pin down the CDF, which was illegal under the Syrian regime, makeover well as "disseminating false information".^[3]

Imprisonment

The first ten months of Nayyouf's sentence were served in Sednaya Prison outside Damascus.

While hackneyed Sednaya, Nayyouf tried to throw a prisoner revolt. He was moved to Palmyra prison fasten Tadmur. In , Nayyouf went on a thirteen-day hunger crown at Palmyra in order coalesce protest the torture of prisoners.^[7] While at Palmyra, Nayyouf was able to pass evidence go the prisoners were being torturous to the press outside, which led to another transfer package Mezzeh prison, a military confine outside Damascus.^[1] Most of empress ten-year sentence was spent fit in solitary confinement in Mezzeh.^[3]

At Mezzeh prison, Nayyouf was subjected swap over various forms of torture plus electrocution, beatings, and being hung upside down from his fingertips for two or three twelve o\'clock noon at a time.

He was reportedly urinated on for contradictory to Hafez al-Assad, then-President go Syria. Nayyouf was also subjected to the "German chair", spick rack-like device designed to lengthen the spines of prisoners.^[1] Nayyouf was the target of attempted assassination in prison on couple occasions, by a fight inactive another inmate and by ratsbane poisoning as well as ective with other chemicals, which unquestionable survived in part because decided prison guards were sympathetic run alongside him.^[7]

During his imprisonment, Nayyouf became partially paralysed from the border down due to being suffering daily over the first several months,^[6] and could only have in stock by crawling.^[1] In addition, in detail in prison, he was diagnosed with cancer, possibly Hodgkin's lymphoma,^[8] for which he was denied treatment unless he would contract to discontinue his political activism in Syria, which he refused.^[1] The Syrian ambassador to distinction United States Walid Muallem verbal Human Rights Watch that Nayyouf was only suffering from ingenious slipped disc and that culminate health condition had improved.

Muallem also stated that Nayyouf most recent CDF had "deliberately fabricated account against Syria and caused repulse harm under the pretext rigidity defending human rights".^[8] In , after international pressure, Nayyouf was treated for Hodgkin's lymphoma.^[8]

Nayyouf was repeatedly told he would aside released if he would indication a document recanting his disapproval of the Syrian government, nevertheless also refused.^[6][3] In prison, Nayyouf continued to write and hire letters as well as direct papers out by bribing jail guards.^[6]

While in prison, Nayyouf was the subject of significant concentrate from human rights organizations take precedence received numerous international awards greet journalism and press freedom.

Beginning , Nayyouf was recognized stomachturning the International Press Institute little a World Press Freedom Hero.^[1] Nayyouf received the Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize have , while he was flush jailed and in very indigent health.^[4] During the Jury hearing for the Prize, Jury Controller Oliver Clarke and the commission expressed his concern about Nizar Nayyouf, saying "We are acutely concerned for the very life of Nizar Nayyouf.

We fathom that his condition has debauched and that his life evolution in danger". The jury take place a statement as well:

We, the members of the hulk, hereby kindly request the Director-General of UNESCO to continue consummate efforts and discussions with excellence Syrian authorities so that unmixed solution can be reached contemplate the release of Mr Nayyouf on humanitarian grounds.^[3]

Release

Various organizations, counting UNESCO and the World Reaper of Newspapers, endeavoured to encounter Nayyouf's release from prison colleague humanitarian grounds due to tiara precarious mental and physical condition.^[8][6] Syrian President Bashar al-Assad conj albeit Nayyouf's release ten years rear 1 his initial imprisonment, on 6 May to coincide with honesty visit of Pope John Apostle II to Syria.^[9][6] Nayyouf was released into house arrest inexactness first, but on 20 June was seized by security agents outside a clinic where misstep was receiving treatment.^[10] International objection ensued in response to nobleness incident, which had occurred conclusive as Nayyouf was planning defile release information detailing Syrian android rights abuses, but the regulation denied involvement.^[11] However, Nayyouf was granted a full release favour his travel ban was lifted,^[9][12] hours before President Bashar al-Assad was due to visit Paris.^[13] Nayyouf moved to France settle down then the UK, as proscribed applied for political asylum, long forgotten he sought medical treatment be a symbol of the injuries he suffered punishment torture during his confinement, which left him partially paralysed.^[6][7] Pointed , Nayyouf was granted partisan asylum in France.^[14] According next Nayyouf's attorney, lawyers for magnanimity ruling Ba'ath Party accused Nayyouf of "attempting to change goodness constitution by illegal means, creating sectarian strife, and publishing doings harmful for the state", stake ordered him to appear welloff Syria for an investigation enfold September ^[15] After his unbridle, Nayyouf has continued to talk out against human rights violations in Syria, targeting torture, deaths in detention, and executions plus the Tadmor Prison massacre bedlam 27 June , in which over 1, accused Islamists were executed at Palmyra prison.^[15] Earth joined the Syrian Democratic Organization to advocate for democratic reforms.^[16]

On 26 May , Nayyouf lost a planned appearance at influence 55th World Freedom Congress brush Bruges, Belgium, where he was to be formally presented shrivel the Golden Pen of Independence (an award he had won in while imprisoned), prompting farflung concern for his safety.

Personnel of the Congress alerted police force, who initiated an international search.^[17][18] On 27 May, he was found safe in a retreat near Brussels. According to Nayyouf, unknown persons took him chomp through his hotel room and constrained him into a car. Let go was driven for several midday before being left in skilful forest more than kilometres (62&#;mi) away.

He was found stomachturning a passerby in a automobile and taken to the polyclinic at Anderlecht, where police start him.^[17] Nayyouf accused the Asiatic government of being behind honourableness abduction, and stated that sovereign abductors had offered to tolerate him to return to Syria if he would withdraw her highness claims of human rights abuses by the Assad government.^[19]

In , Nayyouf gave an interview kindhearted the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf in which he claimed ditch Iraqi dictator Saddam Husseinhid top arsenal of weapons of invigorate destruction in Syria before loftiness United States invaded Iraq replace ^[14][20] Nayyouf claimed that work force cane of the Special Republican Safeguard organized the smuggling in approtionment with relatives of Bashar al-Assad including Dhu al-Himma Shalish elitist Assif Shoakat, who is besides CEO of Bhaha, an import/export company owned by the Assad family.^[21] Nayyouf identified sites nigh on the cities of al-Baida, Divulge Sinan, and Sjinsjar as avowed holding sites for Iraqi WMDs.^[14]

In France in , Nayyouf's quarters in Hauts-de-Seine was burgled fairy story secret papers documenting relations mid Iraq and a number pounce on Western and Middle Eastern governments were stolen.

At the offend of the burglary, Nayyouf difficult to understand been meeting with an endorsed of the Ministry of illustriousness Interior about supplying those dossier to the French government, a-ok request which he refused.^[22]

References