Syrian blogger Roukana Hamour has been Kidnapped
We've received an email that appeared to come from someone who witnessed the kidnapping of the Syrian blogger Roukana Hamour, that took place yesterday, 25 October 2007. Roukana is believed to be kidnapped in front of her home, in Damascus, by six persons who brought her to an undisclosed location. Kidnapping of blogger Roukana Hamour is confirmed by the Organization for peace and liberty (OPL). This is the letter translated by my friend and colleague, the Syrian blogger, Golaniya:
لدى عودة ركانة حمور مع اطفالها ( خمس سنوات و سبعة سنوات و تسعة سنوات ) و لدى توقفها بسيارتها امام باب البناية و انزال اطفالها هجم عليها حوال ستة رجال قاموا بدفع أولادها عنها بوحشية و قاموا باغتصاب حريتها بقوة و دفعوها بعنف الى داخل سيارة مدنية ذات نمرة طرطوس و منعوا احدا من الاقتراب منها و انطلقت السيارة بسرعة دون التعريف عن مكان التوجه او مصدر الاشخاص و يذكر انها قد تلقت منذ يومين تقريبا تهديدا من قبل الامن السياسي الفرع الداخلي بدمشق انهم يريدون التحقيق معها و لما رفضت الذهاب الى التحقيق دون ان تتسلم بطاقة استدعاء قانونية و نظامية قاموا اليوم باختطافها باسلوب العصابات
As Rukana Hammour was parking the car in front of her place and helping her children (5 years, seven years and 9 years old) to step out, six men came out of nowhere and attacked her, violently pushed her children away from their mother, and aggressively pushed her into a car whose number tells it's a Tartossi car. The men prevented someone from approaching Hammour and rapidly ran away not knowing who they were or where they were taking her.
و لا يزال مصيرها حتى الساعة مجهولا
من المعروف ان ركانة حمور من ابرز المدونين السوريين و الاحرار الذين يرفعون راسهم مصرين على كرامتهم و حقهم
دمشق في 25 / تشرين الثاني 2007
It is not a secret that Hammour is being threatened for demanding her financial rights which was stolen from her by her brothers in cooperation with high ranking Syrian officers and officials. Her late father, Mohammad Moti’ Hamour, who was the deputy of Saudi Air Lines, had his fortune which reached milliards evaporate from Syrian banks by forgery.
Hammour had been threatened to be sexually assaulted or even to be raped if she doesn’t sign papers tells she will give up her rights especially that Hammour has sent letters to the Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz presenting the cases of robbery and thievery that reached the Saudi Air Lines. The thieves fear that these letters would arrive at King Abdullah’s desk, for they won’t manage to flee by bribery as they can buy the whole security branch in Syria to push Hammour to give up her rights.
It is well known that Rukana Hammour is one of the leading Syrian bloggers whose belief can only make her consistent on both of her human rights and dignity.
Damascus, 25 October, 2007.
Roukana Hamour has been kidnapped previously for blogging her experiences with the Syrian legal system, exposing administrative, banking and juristic corruption. On October 15, 2006, Roukana was taken from her home and dragged into the street after being threatened at gunpoint in front of her young children by members of the country’s Criminal Security forces.
A recent report from Human Rights Watch reveals that two persons are being held in incommunicado detention at an undisclosed location in Syria. Karim ‘Arbaji (29) and Tarek Biasi (22) were arrested in June 2007 by Syrian Military Intelligence for expressing online views critical of the Syrian government. A third person, Ali Zein al-’Abideen Mej’an, arrested for posting online comments attacking Saudi Arabia, was sentenced by the Supreme State Security Court to two years in prison.
6 comments
The power of the pen. Let the sunshine in! My prayers are with Roukana, her children and family.
The power of the pen. Let the sun shine in! My prayers go out to Roukana, her children, and her family.
Wholeheartedly with you Roukana