VZCZCXYZ0002
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDMA #0433 1291501
ZNR UUUUU ZZH ZUI RUEWMCE5951 1291519
P 091501Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC0000
INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
ZEN/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000433 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
PARIS FOR WALLER; LONDON FOR TSOU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL SY
SUBJECT: CANADA STATEMENT ON SYRIA'S RECORD ON HUMAN 
RIGHTS/ELECTIONS 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) THE CANADIAN EMBASSY ALERTED US THAT THE CANADIANS 
HAD ISSUED A STATEMENT ON APRIL 26 TO EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT 
THE SENTENCING TWO DAYS EARLIER OF SYRIAN HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER 
ANWAR AL-BUNNI, THE TRIALS OF OTHER POLITICAL PRISONERS, AND 
THE PROCESS SURROUNDING THE APRIL 22-23 PARLIAMENTARY 
ELECTIONS HERE.  POST REGULARLY MEETS WITH REPRESENTATIVES 
FROM LIKE-MINDED EMBASSIES, INCLUDING THE CANADIAN AND 
EUROPEAN MISSIONS, TO EXCHANGE INFORMATION AND ADVOCATE FOR 
USG POSITIONS IN THE AREAS OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND CIVIL SOCIETY. 
WE ARE PLANNING TO HOST A LIKE-MINDED MEETING LATER THIS 
MONTH IN THE RUN-UP TO THE SYRIAN PRESIDENTIAL PLEBISCITE 
EXPECTED TO TAKE PLACE AT THE END OF MAY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) THE FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF THE CANADIAN STATEMENT: 
 
THE HONORABLE PETER MACKAY, MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND 
MINISTER OF THE ATLANTIC CANADA OPPORTUNITIES AGENCY, TODAY 
MADE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT ON THE APRIL 24 TRIAL AND 
SENTENCING OF HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER ANWAR AL-BUNNI TO FIVE 
YEARS' DETENTION, AS WELL AS THE CONDUCT OF THE APRIL 22 AND 
23 LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS: 
 
"THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE OUTCOME 
OF THE TRIAL OF ANWAR AL-BUNNI ON CHARGES RELATED TO HIS 
EFFORTS TO BUILD A CULTURE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN SYRIA AND 
DENOUNCE TORTURE IN SYRIAN PRISONS. WE ARE ALSO CONCERNED 
ABOUT THE ONGOING TRIALS OF OPPOSITION FIGURE KAMAL LABWANI 
AND INTELLECTUALS MICHEL KILO, MAHMOUD 'ISSA, KHALIL HUSSEIN 
AND SULEIMAN AL-SHUMMAR. 
 
"SYRIA MUST ENSURE THAT ITS DOMESTIC LAWS AND PRACTICES ARE 
IN KEEPING WITH ITS INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS OBLIGATIONS. 
CANADA URGES SYRIA TO RELEASE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS AND 
TAKE CONCRETE STEPS TOWARD RESPECTING AND PROTECTING HUMAN 
RIGHTS, AND GUARANTEEING FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, ASSEMBLY AND 
ASSOCIATION, STARTING WITH THE RECALL OF ITS 44-YEAR-OLD 
EMERGENCY LAW. SYRIA MUST ALSO TAKE FIRM MEASURES TO STOP 
ARBITRARY ARREST, INCOMMUNICADO DETENTION, TORTURE AND CRUEL, 
INHUMAN AND DEGRADING TREATMENT, AS WELL AS TO INVESTIGATE 
ALLEGATIONS OF THESE PRACTICES, PROSECUTE PERPETRATORS AND 
PROVIDE REMEDIES FOR THE VICTIMS. 
 
"THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA IS FURTHERMORE CONCERNED WITH THE 
SHORTCOMINGS OF THE SYRIAN ELECTION LAW, SYSTEM AND PROCESS. 
SYRIA SHOULD GUARANTEE ITS CITIZENS THE RIGHT TO GENUINELY 
DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATIVE AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, AS PART OF 
A FULLY FAIR AND PARTICIPATORY POLITICAL PROCESS, AS PART OF 
A MOVE TOWARD PROVIDING ITS CITIZENS FREEDOM, DEMOCRACY, 
HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE RULE OF LAW." 
CORBIN