Ammar al-Qurabi

Dr Ammar Al-Qurabi (Arabic: عمار القربي‎‎, born 21 August 1970) is a Syrian human rights activist and executive director of the National Organization for Human Rights in Syria since April 2006. He was elected in April 2011 as member of the Board of Trustees of the Arab Human Rights Organization in Syria.

Biography

Born in Algeria to Syrian parents from Ariha, a province close to Aleppo, Ammar al-Qurabi trained as a dentist at the University of Aleppo. Qurabi was a member of the banned Arab Socialist Party from 1985 to 1999, and served as Secretary of its Aleppo branch from 1989 until his resignation from the Party in 1999.

In addition to establishing the Arab Human Rights Organization in Syria,^[1] Qurabi has worked with the Syrian Human Rights Committee,^[2] the Arab Commission for Human Rights^[3] and Human Rights Watch.^[4] He was a founding member and official spokesperson of the Arab Human Rights Organization in Syria from 2004 until his arrest and travel ban in 2006. He led the Arab Commission for Human Rights in Paris and monitored four sessions of the trial of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt between August and September 2007.

Qurabi attended the third session of the launch of the Arab Network for Human Rights Information^[5] in August in 2007. He was involved in the submission of a report on prison conditions in Syria^[6] to the Arab Organization for Penal Reform^[7][8] at a conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt on 6 June 2007. He was a member of an Arab fact-finding mission to Gaza in February 2009.^[9][10]

Qurabi has published widely on human rights issues (civil liberties, freedom, social and economic rights, gender discrimination, children, migrant workers, political corruption, torture, and abuses in the criminal justice system), documenting abuses and bringing attention to human rights violations in Syria.

Role in the 2011 Syrian uprising

Dr. Ammar Al-Qurabi played a prominent role in highlighting human rights violations by the Syrian authorities during the 2011 Syrian uprising. His National Organization for Human Rights in Syria was main organizer of the Antalya Conference for Change in Syria in June 2011, and though al-Qurabi was one of the conference's main funders as well, he only attended as an observer.^[11]

A frequent commentator in the Arab media,^[12][13] Qurabi has helped focus international attention on the deteriorating human rights situation in Syria by describing media censorship, the harassment and detention of journalists and bloggers, the arrest of political and human rights activists and violence against protesters and political dissidents.^[14][15][16]

Through the National Organization for Human Rights in Syria,^[17] Qurabi has verified and documented reports of torture, ill-treatment, forced disappearance, arbitrary arrest and unlawful detention. He has criticized the lack of judicial independence and arbitrary procedures that have systematically resulted in violations of the right to fair trial, and described Syria’s multi-layered security apparatus which continues to detain people without arrest warrants and frequently refuses to disclose their whereabouts for weeks and sometimes months – in effect forcibly disappearing them. He has brought attention to the sub-standard health and sanitation conditions of Syrian prisons, and described and documented methods of torture and abuse of prisoners including the use of electric shock; pulling out fingernails; burning genitalia; beating, sometimes while the victim was suspended from the ceiling; dousing victims with freezing water and beating them in extremely cold rooms; hyper-extending the spine; and bending detainees into the frame of a wheel and whipping exposed body parts.

Arrests and restrictions

20 August 2003: Arrested in Aleppo and sentenced by a state security court to three months in prison for establishing and leading an information committee in support of 14 political prisoners facing military court trials. The arrest came after establishing the background forum for dialogue and democratic activity within the National Action Committee and the city of Aleppo to participate in sit-ins and demonstrations demanding democracy and civil liberties. He did not serve his full term, benefiting from a general presidential pardon.

7 March 2006: Travel ban issued under Section 279 of the External Security and security Memorandum 255 of the Department of State Security.

12 March 2006: Arrested by the Syrian security forces at Damascus International Airport, as he was coming back from two conferences on human rights and democratic reforms in Syria, which were held in Paris and Washington D.C. He was then brought to the “Palestine Branch” of the military intelligence services, in Damascus, a place known for its extremely harsh conditions of detention. The arrest warrant was issued from the Department of State Security "section 255" external security "section 279" Palestine Section "235" program of military intelligence. He was released on 16 March 2006 after a four-day detention in solitary confinement at the “Palestine Branch” of the military intelligence services.^[18][19][20]

9 April 2007: Detained for two days by state security after his election as head of the National Organization for Human Rights.

19 November 2007: Syrian authorities prevented Dr. Ammar Qurabi from travelling while he was on his way to Jordan to participate in a seminar entitled “The role of civil society organizations in political reform in the Arab world”, organized by the Amman Centre for Human Rights Studies and the Aspen Institute of Berlin, on the basis of two notes from two different security apparatuses dated 7 March 2006 and 5 April 2006, without providing any explanation for this decision.^[21]

Affiliations

Arab Organization for Human Rights in Syria (AOHRS)^[22] – The Democratic Dialogue Forum – International Arab-Kurdish Dialogue Committee in Syria – Damascus Center for Theoretical and Strategic Studies – Administrative Council of the Syrian Dental Association (2002–2006) – Arab Organization Press Defence (Germany) – Arab Writers United on Internet – Arabic Social Club (Cairo-Egypt) – National Work Committee in Aleppo – Arab Organization for Human Rights in Cairo – Arab Coalition for the International Criminal Court^[23] – Executive Secretariat of the Arab Coalition for Darfur^[24] – Euro Mediterranean Federation against Enforced Disappearances (FEDEM)^[25] – International Coalition for the International Criminal Court^[26] – Forum for non-governmental organizations parallel to the Future Forum (Rabat 2004 – Bahrain 2005 Oman 2006 – Yemen 2007 – United Arab Emirates, 2008) – Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies^[27] – Karma Organization for Defending Asian Workers Rights – Member of the Syrian Coalition for Preventing Execution – Co-ordinator for Syrian Forum for NGOs in Syria – Member in Huriyat Center (Syria) since 2005

References

Syrian Civil War
Part of the Arab Spring
Background Timeline Background 1963 coup d'état 1966 coup d'état 1970 "Corrective Revolution" 1979–82 Islamic uprising 1999 Latakia protests 2000–01 Damascus Spring 2004 al-Qamishli riots Syrian occupation of Lebanon 2005 Damascus Declaration Human rights in Syria 2011 (Jan–Apr • May–Aug • Sep–Dec) Death of Hamza Ali Al-Khateeb Siege of Daraa Siege of Baniyas Talkalakh siege Siege of Rastan and Talbiseh Jisr ash-Shugur operation Siege of Hama Siege of Homs Jabal al-Zawiya operation Siege of Latakia Deir ez-Zor Clashes Rif Dimashq clashes Battle of Zabadani Battle of Douma Daraa Governorate clashes First Battle of Rastan Shayrat and Tiyas airbase ambush Idlib Governorate clashes Jabal al-Zawiya massacres 2012 (Jan–Apr • May–Aug • Sep–Dec) al-Midan bombing Second Battle of Rastan First Idlib operation First Battle of Idlib First Battle of al-Qusayr Second Idlib operation Battle of Taftanaz Third Battle of Rastan Houla massacre Battle of al-Haffah Al-Qubeir massacre Battle of Tremseh Battle of Damascus Damascus bombing Battle of Aleppo Battle of Anadan Siege of Base 46 First Rif Dimashq offensive Darayya massacre Battle of Khirbet al-Joz Battle of Maarrat al-Nu'man First Siege of Wadi Deif Battle of Harem Second Rif Dimashq offensive Battle of Darayya Aqrab massacre First Hama offensive Halfaya massacre Battle of Darayya Quneitra Governorate clashes Talbiseh bakery massacre 2013 (Jan–Apr • May–Dec) Battle of Safira Battle of Shadadeh Damascus offensive Battle of Raqqa Daraa offensive Third Rif Dimashq offensive Battle of Jdaidet al-Fadl Ghouta chemical attack Al-Qusayr offensive Second Battle of al-Qusayr Bayda and Baniyas massacres Second Hama offensive Hatla massacre Khan al-Assal chemical attack Khan al-Assal massacre Adra massacre Battle of Ras al-Ayn Fourth Rif Dimashq offensive Aleppo offensive 2014 (Jan–Jul • Aug–Dec) First Inter-Rebel Conflict Battle of Markada First Deir ez-Zor Offensive Battle of Mork 2nd Daraa Offensive Maan massacre Al-Otaiba ambush 4th Idlib Offensive Battle of Hosn 2nd Latakia Offensive Battle of Al-Malihah Kafr Zita chemical attack Second Siege of Wadi Deif 2nd Qalamoun Offensive Battle of Arsal First Battle of the Shaer gas field Eastern Syria Offensive Battle for Tabqa Air base 3rd Hama Offensive Quneitra Offensive 6th Rif Dimashq offensive Siege of Kobanî 3rd Daraa offensive 2nd Al-Safira offensive Idlib Raid Second Inter-Rebel Conflict Second Battle of the Shaer gas field Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin 2nd Deir ez-Zor offensive 2015 (Jan–Jul • Aug–Dec) An-26 crash 4th Daraa Offensive Southern Syria Offensive Eastern al-Hasakah offensive 1st Battle of Sarrin 2nd Battle of Sarrin Battle of Bosra 5th Idlib Offensive Second Battle of Idlib Battle of Nasib Border Crossing 2nd Battle of Yarmouk Camp Western al-Hasakah offensive Palmyra offensive (May 2015) Tell Abyad offensive Kobanî massacre Quneitra offensive Palmyra offensive (July–August 2015) 7th Rif Dimashq offensive Northwestern Syria offensive 2015 Aleppo offensive 2015 Al-Hawl offensive Homs offensive (November–December 2015) East Aleppo offensive (2015–16) Latakia offensive (2015–2016) Tishrin Dam offensive 2015 Russian Sukhoi Su-24 shootdown 2016 (Jan–Apr * May–Aug) Second Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin 3rd Deir ez-Zor offensive Sayyidah Zaynab bombings Wusta clashes Northern Aleppo offensive (February 2016) Ithriyah-Raqqah offensive (February–March 2016) Al-Shaddadi offensive (2016) February Homs bombings February Sayyidah Zaynab bombings 2016 Khanasir offensive Battle of Tel Abyad Qamishli clashes (April 2016) Northern Aleppo offensive (March–June 2016) Palmyra offensive (March 2016) East Ghouta inter-rebel conflict (April–May 2016) 8th Rif Dimashq offensive Northern Raqqa offensive (May 2016) May 2016 Jableh and Tartous bombings Ithriyah-Raqqah offensive (June 2016) 9th Rif Dimashq offensive Manbij offensive (2016) Tokhar 2016 Southern Aleppo campaign Battle of al-Rai (August 2016) 2016 Aleppo campaign Jarabulus offensive (2016) Western al-Bab offensive (2016) 5 September 2016 Syria bombings September 2016 Deir ez-Zor air raid September 2016 Urum al-Kubra Aid Convoy Attack September Aleppo offensive 2016 Dabiq offensive Western al-Bab offensive (October 2016) Aleppo offensive (October 2016) Khan al-Shih offensive (October 2016) Northern Raqqa offensive (November 2016) Northern al-Bab offensive (November 2016) Battle of al-Bab (2016) Aleppo offensive (November 2016) Spillover Spillover into Lebanon Lebanese–Syrian border clashes Battle of Sidon Iranian Embassy Bombing Northern Lebanon Clashes Syrian-Turkish border clashes December 2011 Syrian–Turkish border clash Turkish aircraft shootdown October 2012 Syrian-Turkish border clashes Reyhanlı bombings January 2014 Turkish airstrike in Syria Israeli–Syrian ceasefire line incidents Jordanian-Syrian border clashes April 2014 Jordanian–Syrian border airstrike Spillover into Iraq Akashat ambush Operation al-Shabah April 2014 Iraqi–Syrian border airstrike
Involved parties Syria Ba'ath Government| Syrian Regional Branch of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party Syrian Social Nationalist Party Arab Socialist Movement Syrian Communist Party Military & Militias Syrian Armed Forces Ba'ath Brigades Syrian Resistance Syrian Social Nationalist Party PFLP-GC Palestine Liberation Army Liwa al-Quds Smaller groups Support for the government Hezbollah involvement Iranian involvement Liwa Fatemiyoun Russia's involvement military intervention Russia–Syria–Iran–Iraq coalition Popular Mobilization Forces (Iraq) Opposition & allies NCSR Government National Coalition Local Co-ordination Committees Syrian National Council Supreme Council of the Syrian Revolution National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change Syrian Revolution General Commission Syrian Support Group Adopt a Revolution Opposition militias Jaysh al-Halab Fatah Halab Hawar Kilis Southern Front Jaysh al-Islam Al-Rahman Legion Liwa al-Majid Martyrs of Islam Brigade Ajnad al-Sham Islamic Union Victory Brigades New Syrian Army Jaysh Usud al-Sharqiya Forces of Martyr Ahmad al-Abdo Jabhat Ansar al-Islam Alwiya al-Furqan Support for the Opposition American-led intervention American rescue mission Jordanian intervention Qatari involvement Saudi Arabia Turkey Army of Conquest & allies Army of Conquest Jabhat Fateh al-Sham Ahrar al-Sham Sham Legion Harakat Nour al-Din al-Zenki Jaysh al-Sunna Suqour al-Sham Brigade Liwa al-Haqq Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria Allied groups Jabhat Ansar al-Din Ansar al-Sham Caucasus Emirate Ajnad al-Kavkaz Junud al Makhdi Rojava (SDF) Rojava government Democratic Union Party Kurdish National Council Smaller political groups SDF groups People's Protection Units Women's Protection Units Al-Sanadid Forces Syriac Military Council Army of Revolutionaries Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa Al-Nukhbat Brigade Free Officers Union SDF Military Councils ISIL Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Military of ISIL Jamaat Bayt al-Maqdis al-Islamiya Dokumacılar Allied groups Khalid ibn al-Walid Army
People Ammar Abdulhamid Ali al-Abdallah Adnan al-Aroor al-Assad family Bashar Maher Rifaat Rami Makhlouf Hafez Makhlouf Riad al-Asaad Anwar al-Bunni Fahd Jassem al-Freij Haitham al-Maleh Moaz al-Khatib Kamal al-Labwani Hamza al-Khateeb Tal al-Mallohi Fida al-Sayed Riad al-Turk Khaled Khoja Ammar al-Qurabi Suheir Atassi Ali Sadreddine Al-Bayanouni Aref Dalila Farid Ghadry Burhan Ghalioun Razan Ghazzawi Ghassan Hitto Salim Idris Randa Kassis Abdul Halim Khaddam Michel Kilo Bassma Kodmani Ali Habib Mahmud Ali Mahmoud Othman Ibrahim Qashoush Dawoud Rajiha Yassin al-Haj Saleh Bouthaina Shaaban Adib Shishakly Abdulbaset Sieda Riad Seif Fadwa Soliman Mohamad Anas Haitham Soueid Yaser Tabbara Razan Zaitouneh Rami Jarrah Abdurrahman Mustafa
Issues Peace process Related topics Issues Casualties Chemical weapons Cities and towns Damaged heritage sites Foreign involvement Human rights violations Humanitarian aid International reactions International demonstrations and protests Massacres Refugees (European migrant crisis) Sectarianism and minorities Spillover into Lebanon Syrian reactions Peace process Arab League monitors Friends of Syria Group Kofi Annan peace plan UN Supervision Mission Lakhdar Brahimi peace plan U.S.–Russia peace proposals on Syria 39th G8 summit UN Security Council Resolution 2118 Geneva II Conference 2015 Zabadani cease-fire agreement 2015 Vienna talks 2016 Geneva talks Related topics 2014 Syrian detainee report Exclusive mandate Fourth Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Summit Conference International recognition of the Syrian National Council Syria Files Syrian media coverage The Return to Homs Silvered Water, Syria Self-Portrait Sunnistan
Category