Syrian regime refers three women to counter-terrorism court

Media adviser to the Syrian Opposition Coalition Bahia Mardini said she was alarmed by the Syrian regime’s decision to refer three Syrian women to the counter-terrorism court.

Mardini noted that the decision could be a prelude to avenge the Syrian women for their role in the revolution.

The three women were referred to the court yesterday after being detained for nearly 57 days in a military security unit in Damascus without knowing their charges, Mardini claimed.

Jihan Amin, a human rights lawyer, Ranim Matouk, a student at the Faculty of Fine Arts and the daughter of renowned lawyer Khalil Matouk, who has been detained for nearly two years without charge, and Amal Nasr, an activist in the National Coordination Body for Democratic Change and the wife of opposition leader Adnan Al-Debis.

Mardini said the court trying the women is not independent and its judges were assigned by Bashar Al-Assad, therefore the women are not guaranteed a fair trial.

On July 26, 2012, Al-Assad issued a decree to establish a special court to look into terrorism charges in the capital Damascus.