Al Jazeera Arabic has posted an eyebrow-raising poll on their website, where they ask who has turned Syria’s revolution into a sectarian conflict. Voters can choose from two options: “Shia” and “Sunni.”
Really?
Special thanks to @Falasteeni for the link
Yesterday, open source advocate and software engineer Bassel Khartabil spent his 32nd birthday in prison. He was arrested by Syrian security forces on 15 March last year, and he has been in jail ever since. Khartabil was awarded an Index on Censorship Digital Freedom Award, sponsored by Google for his important work earlier this year. The Free Bassel campaign has started an initiative to shed light on Bassel’s situation called Free Bassel Sunlight, where they have called on supporters to advocate for Bassel’s release through using their resources to unearth more details about his situation.
We shared some birthday wishes to Bassel yesterday, but many more wishes were posted online yesterday —- here are just some of the heartfelt messages sent to him:
jykhui | Instagram
Software engineer and open-source advocate Bassel Khartabil will spend his second birthday in prison today. Palestinian-born Bassel was arrested on 15 March last year by Syrian security forces, and has been in prison ever since. On his birthday and the 799th day of Syria’s conflict, Index calls on the Syrian government to release Khartabil.
Index CEO Kirsty Hughes said:
‘Following courageous and peaceful protests in 2011, Syria descended into violence with appalling attacks on civilians across the country – and with over 80,000 people killed over the last two years. Up until his arrest last March, Bassel Khartabil bravely continued to work for a cause he passionately believes in – an open and free internet that is available to all. In a country torn apart by violence, he is a brave advocate for peaceful change and we call on the Syrian authorities to release him.’
Earlier this year, Bassel was awarded an Index on Censorship Digital Freedom Award, sponsored by Google for his work as a free internet pioneer, advancing open source technologies.
You have been away now for almost 14months, you have spent two birthdays away in a cell, you probably lost weight, got tortured, and I am sure you feel so miserable. I can only say to you, I will make sure and try my best not to let you spend another birthday away. Happy birthday please try to have a happy one, even if you have to fabricate one in your head, rest assured I am lighting you a candle thinking of you. I miss you my friend. #freebassel. – Dana Trometer, friend and member of Free Bassel campaign
I just want him free, I pray for him to be free and I pray for all his friends who believe and work on Bassel’ s freedom. – Bassel’s mother
It is your birthday. It is not a day of happiness — yet. But when justice is done, and you are released from your wrongful imprisonment, all of us will celebrate with enormous happiness both this day, and every day that you have given us as an inspiration for hope across the world. – Larry Lessig, founder of Creative Commons
Bassel, I don’t know how or even if this message will reach you. Your birthday is important and you, you are important. Many of your friends miss you – they miss your positive contributions to the world at large, we miss how you bridge far away lands with well known and seemingly easy places. We miss you. It seems impossible to imagine what you are doing in this moment or how one might work to improve anything at all. There is a phrase that I learned once when traveling through your world, الحب و الحياة في وقت قصير – what you bring to the world is important, you set an example for every human and we love you. – Jacob Appelbaum, Tor project
Dear Bassel, I wish you health and freedom and hope to meet you in Buenos Aires at the CC summit. – Mélanie Dulong de Rosnay, Creative Commons
Happy birthday Bassel – we miss you and continue to admire your courage and await your release! – Jillian C York, Director for International Freedom of Expression at Electronic Frontier Foundation
Sana helua ya gamil ya Bassel habibi. I miss you and miss the old days in Damascus, and the trips with the musketeers! We will do your next birthday party together to celebrate free Bassel and free Syria, Inshallah. – Donatella Della Ratta, Creative Commons
Happy birthday you stubborn kid. Wish more algorithms to unlock and a beautiful lady to unlock your heart. – Bassel’s uncle, Oussama Al Rifai
You and me are the very same age. And we both come from troubled countries, in “transition” they call it. And for you it is not only a country where you are in prison, it is a region. I hope leaders in your region will realize soon how important young, creative, bright minds like you will be for a peaceful future. That “shared, inclusive culture” you embrace. With solidarity, I will toast tonight for the future conversations we will have. – Renata Avila, Creative Commons Guatemala
Happy birthday from Cairo. Your courage inspires us. Hold on. We will all celebrate FREEDOM for the PEOPLE very soon. – Dr. Rasha Abdulla, Journalism and Mass Communication Professor
We love you Bassel, I wish can see you soon and health and visit HK asap, and we can talk together and see your images eveywhere!!! I’m thinking of you everyday with my action. And Happy Birthday!!!! Next time we can cut the birthday cake!!!! – Jenny Hui, artist
The Free Bassel campaign has also launched a creative project to shed more light on the activist’s case. Visit the Bassel Sunlight page, where the campaign is looking for your help to unearth more information about what’s happened with him.
Special thanks to Renata Avila and Dana Tromoter for collecting these birthday messages.
Five members of the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM) are scheduled to appear before the country’s Anti-Terrorism court in Damascus on 19 May. Three of the activists, SCM’s head Mazen Darwish, blogger Hussein Gharir, and activist Hani Zaitani have been held in prison since February 2012, when Syrian security forces attacked and raided the organisation’s offices. Abdel Rahman Hamada and Mansour Omari were conditionally released earlier this year. Syria’s Air Force Intelligence has accused the five activists of “publicising terrorist acts”, under the country’s Anti-Terrorism law.
A group of 19 international organisations today called for the release of Zaitani, Gharir, and Darwish, and for the charges against all five to be dropped. If convicted, they face up to 15 years in prison. According to a statement released today, Syria’s Justice Minister earlier this month promised the release of SCM’s three jailed members — in addition to 69 other jailed activists.
SCM member Maha Assabalani, who was avoided being imprisoned during the raid, wrote about her colleagues for Index last year. She said that her colleagues are in prison for fighting for freedom of expression — and that they “risked their life fighting for real change.” She also said that Darwish regularly told the organisation’s staff that “there are not enough prisons for the free word.”