sv: en: Syrians Persecuted in Sweden | Syrier förföljs i Sve
Posted: 30 Jan 2012, 12:42
http://www.ekopolitik.org/en/news.aspx?id=5860&pid=1815
http://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/syrier ... -i-sverige
Syrians Persecuted in Sweden
9 months have past since the 29-year-old Iman Al-Baghdady came to Sweden from her home country Syria. She moved for love – she met the Iraqi Swede Bassam Al-Baghdady on the Internet because they shared the same revolutionary and regime critical thoughts.
– In Syria I worked for women's and children's rights. I was so happy to finally be able to work freely for human rights when I came here, tells Iman Al-Baghdady when DN meets her in her appartment in a suburb of Stockholm.
Already in her home country Iman was active on the Internet and spread critical opinions that were not appreciated by the Syrian police. When the Revolution started in the spring she video blogged and reported through social media from the appartment in Stockholm. She and her husband participated in several regime critical demonstrations and manifestations.
A letter landed on the hallway carpet on the 27th of May. It was written in Arabic and the content was clear – ”be quiet, otherwise neither you nor your family in Syria are secure”.
In the letter the sender used Iman's maiden's name and then added ”you that now use the same name as Iraqi terrorists”.
– Only the Syrian Embassy in Sweden knows about that name. All Syrians that leave the country gets their document sent to the Embassy of the new country, Bassam Al-Baghdady says.
The couple reported the threat to the police. Soon after Iman's brother was captured in the Syrian capital Damascus.
– He was imprisoned and tortured. They broke both of his arms. Then they forced him to sign a document where he promised that my family would reject me, says Iman.
She grabs her husband's hand, looks him in the eyes as if for looking for support, and continues.
– I got so angry and sad. Even though I am this far away I have not got rid of the regime. It knows what sensitive spots to press.
In July Iman was in the Swedish Radio and talked under pseudonyme about the situation in Syria. Afterwards a threatful letter arrived to the home of the couple Al-Baghdady. ”We recognise your voice and know who you are, even if you call yourself Nadia”, it said among other things.
Iman and Bassam are afraid. Iman does not leave the appartment and is constantly worried about her husband when he is at work. They still do not let themselved be silenced.
– My family is proud. They have seen me on BBC and other cable TV-channels and my brother has asked me to continue, despite what he was subjected to. I don't know how much I can affect, but each and everyone has to do what one is capable of, says Iman Al-Baghdady.
She knows 17 other people that received threats. Everyone of them suspects the Syrian Embassy is behind them, but only a few dare to report. The Stockholm police says they are aware of the reports and the Security Police is informed. Nobody is investigating the matter for the moment.
DN has with no success sought contact with representatives of the Syrian Embassy in Stockholm.
Background: Around 20 countries are doing refugee espionage on Swedish ground.
Bashar al-Assad is the president of Syria since 2000, when he succeded his father Hafiz al-Assad that ruled the country 1971-2000. In 2007 Bashar al-Assad was elected to another seven year period in elections where he had no counter candidates.
After the entry to power of Bashar al-Assad the opposition, during the so-called Damascus spring, openly demanded democratic reforms in the country. Most of these reform activists were nevertheless thrown into prison in August 2001.
The protests during the Arab spring in Syria started 18 of March when the protesters marched out on the streets in the city of Dara in the South of Syria. In the beginning the president made reform promises in order to suppress the uprising and the almost 50 years old state of emergency was abolished.
When the protests still went on, the army was sent to suppress them. Human Rights groups estimate that approximately 1.400 civilians can have been killed by the regime.
When foreign secret services are following people in Sweden, it is called refugee espionage. Approximately 20 states do this kind of activity according to the Swedish Security Police. Last year a Syrian person was expelled from Sweden because of refugee espionage.
Emma Löfgren
Dagens Nyheter: Syrier förföljs i Sverige 2011-07-30
http://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/syrier ... -i-sverige
Translated from Swedish by Nina Carlsson
http://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/syrier ... -i-sverige
Syrians Persecuted in Sweden
9 months have past since the 29-year-old Iman Al-Baghdady came to Sweden from her home country Syria. She moved for love – she met the Iraqi Swede Bassam Al-Baghdady on the Internet because they shared the same revolutionary and regime critical thoughts.
– In Syria I worked for women's and children's rights. I was so happy to finally be able to work freely for human rights when I came here, tells Iman Al-Baghdady when DN meets her in her appartment in a suburb of Stockholm.
Already in her home country Iman was active on the Internet and spread critical opinions that were not appreciated by the Syrian police. When the Revolution started in the spring she video blogged and reported through social media from the appartment in Stockholm. She and her husband participated in several regime critical demonstrations and manifestations.
A letter landed on the hallway carpet on the 27th of May. It was written in Arabic and the content was clear – ”be quiet, otherwise neither you nor your family in Syria are secure”.
In the letter the sender used Iman's maiden's name and then added ”you that now use the same name as Iraqi terrorists”.
– Only the Syrian Embassy in Sweden knows about that name. All Syrians that leave the country gets their document sent to the Embassy of the new country, Bassam Al-Baghdady says.
The couple reported the threat to the police. Soon after Iman's brother was captured in the Syrian capital Damascus.
– He was imprisoned and tortured. They broke both of his arms. Then they forced him to sign a document where he promised that my family would reject me, says Iman.
She grabs her husband's hand, looks him in the eyes as if for looking for support, and continues.
– I got so angry and sad. Even though I am this far away I have not got rid of the regime. It knows what sensitive spots to press.
In July Iman was in the Swedish Radio and talked under pseudonyme about the situation in Syria. Afterwards a threatful letter arrived to the home of the couple Al-Baghdady. ”We recognise your voice and know who you are, even if you call yourself Nadia”, it said among other things.
Iman and Bassam are afraid. Iman does not leave the appartment and is constantly worried about her husband when he is at work. They still do not let themselved be silenced.
– My family is proud. They have seen me on BBC and other cable TV-channels and my brother has asked me to continue, despite what he was subjected to. I don't know how much I can affect, but each and everyone has to do what one is capable of, says Iman Al-Baghdady.
She knows 17 other people that received threats. Everyone of them suspects the Syrian Embassy is behind them, but only a few dare to report. The Stockholm police says they are aware of the reports and the Security Police is informed. Nobody is investigating the matter for the moment.
DN has with no success sought contact with representatives of the Syrian Embassy in Stockholm.
Background: Around 20 countries are doing refugee espionage on Swedish ground.
Bashar al-Assad is the president of Syria since 2000, when he succeded his father Hafiz al-Assad that ruled the country 1971-2000. In 2007 Bashar al-Assad was elected to another seven year period in elections where he had no counter candidates.
After the entry to power of Bashar al-Assad the opposition, during the so-called Damascus spring, openly demanded democratic reforms in the country. Most of these reform activists were nevertheless thrown into prison in August 2001.
The protests during the Arab spring in Syria started 18 of March when the protesters marched out on the streets in the city of Dara in the South of Syria. In the beginning the president made reform promises in order to suppress the uprising and the almost 50 years old state of emergency was abolished.
When the protests still went on, the army was sent to suppress them. Human Rights groups estimate that approximately 1.400 civilians can have been killed by the regime.
When foreign secret services are following people in Sweden, it is called refugee espionage. Approximately 20 states do this kind of activity according to the Swedish Security Police. Last year a Syrian person was expelled from Sweden because of refugee espionage.
Emma Löfgren
Dagens Nyheter: Syrier förföljs i Sverige 2011-07-30
http://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/syrier ... -i-sverige
Translated from Swedish by Nina Carlsson