Syrian Bloggers' Statement on the Detention of their Fellow Blogger and Friend Hussein Ghrer

“Silence doesn´t serve us after today. We don´t want a country where we get imprisoned for uttering a word. We want a country that embraces and welcomes words”. This is the last thing Syrian blogger Hussein Ghrer demanded on his blog, and here we are today blogging with sadness on the news of Hussein´s detention, without knowing why, and where he is now.

Hussein is 30 years old, he is married and has two kids. He participated in several campaigns in solidarity with our Palestinian brothers during the Zionist invasion of Gaza and blogged about the war against Lebanon in 2006. He was well-known for his work with the “Syrian bloggers for the occupied Gholan” and for his solidarity with the victims of “Honor crimes” in the country.

Fear of freedom and hatred against all liberties are responsible for Hussein´s detention. Words are Hussein´s weapons, and ours too. We want these weapons to break the silence. We command you to raise your voice for Hussein´s freedom and all prisoners of conscience in Syrian cells.

We demand the immediate disclosure of the fate of our friend and fellow blogger Hussein Ghrer and the immediate release of all prisoners of conscience, since their detention is against the law and universal human rights. We also demand the end of persecution against freedom of speech, because blind force, no matter how strong it is, will stay blind, and will stumble until it falls for good.