Muhannad Al-Hassani disbarment signals continuing persecution and intimidation of lawyers and human rights defenders

The ICJ and other NGOs condemned the decision of the Damascus Section of the Syrian Bar Association to prohibit lawyer and human rights defender Muhannad Al-Hassani from practicing law for the rest of his life.

Among the grounds upon which the disbarment was ordered was that Muhannad Al-Hassani is “the President of an unauthorised organisation (the Syrian Organization for Human Rights)”.

The above-mentioned organisations called on the Syrian Bar Association to seriously reconsider the charges against Muhannad al-Hassani and the decision to permanently disbar him when it hears the case on appeal.

Syria-Persecution and Intimidation of Lawyers and Human Rights Defenders-Position Papers-2009 (full text, PDF)