SDF Spokesperson Kino Gabriel about Turkish imprisonment of MFS fighters: International community must act against this violation of the Geneva Convention

ZALIN (QAMISHLI), Syria – Syrian Democratic Forces spokesman Kino Gabriel calls on the United Nations to take firm action and impose measures against Turkey for the imposition of life sentences on three Syriac Military Council (Mawtbo Fulhoyo Suryoyo, MFS) fighters who were taken prisoner in Syria but illegally transferred to Turkey. The three Syriac Military Council fighters were arrested 2 years ago in occupied Rish Ayno (Ras al-Ayn) by extremist mercenary militias trained and supported by the Turkish occupation army.

This latest illegal transfer from Syria to Turkey brings the number of SDF fighters illegally held in Turkey to eighty, says the spokesperson for the SDF in an interview with our news desk. Kino Gabriel calls the illegal Turkey’s judicial process and rulings, a flagrant violation of the Geneva Convention and he makes a plead to the international community to act against this violation.

“The detention of Syrian Democratic Forces fighters in Turkey is a flagrant violation of international law and the Geneva Convention. Our fighters were captured on Syrian territory in what is an illegal invasion of Syrian territory by Turkey and its militias. This has led to the occupation of areas from Rish Ayno to Tel Abyad,” the SDF spokesperson said.

“Eighty SDF fighters have been illegally detained in Turkey, including 3 of the Syriac Military Council who were illegally tried by a Turkish court and sentenced to life in a Turkish prison. This violation of international law and the Geneva Convention, to which Turkey is a signatory, must be clearly condemned by the international community and acted on with concrete measures, in particular by the United Nations and the Security Council.”

“Of course, Turkey is knowingly violating the Geneva Convention. It does so to polish its image in the international public opinion and to hide its human rights violations. Turkey tries to create and maintain the image in the international media that its military invasion and occupation of Syria is a war on terror which would “justify” the illegal transfer and trials of our fighters on Turkish territory.”

Also Read: Three members of Syriac Military Council illegally tried and imprisoned in Turkey, given life sentences for “disrupting unity of Turkish state”

“Turkey turns a blind eye to the human rights violations such as kidnapping, theft, murder and many more violations by the extremist groups operating under this umbrella. The Turkish propaganda machine is trying to shroud its support for terrorist and extremist groups operating under the name of the Syrian National Army, by claiming our fighters are terrorists and prosecuting them on Turkish soil and sentencing them to life imprisonment. All violations of the Geneva Convention.”

“Unfortunately, the expected full condemnation by international organizations to be followed by concrete actions against the dozens of illegal transfers of detainees from Syria to Turkey has not materialized. There have been reactions and condemnations from international human rights groups, influential figures and authorities, but these has proved insufficient to force Turkey to release the detainees and improve its human rights record.”

“In this case, we expect clear action and real measures from the UN and the Security Council to force Turkey to stop its support for the Syrian National Army militias, its human rights violations and propaganda war and to uphold human rights.”

#Syriac Military Council, MFS statement regarding 3 fighters captured in Syria later transferred to Turkey and condemned to life imprisonment. This hostile act is clear violation of Geneva Convention and we demand their release immediately. @coalition @Elysee @CENTCOM @SDF_Syria pic.twitter.com/LDGwiAYUoX

— SyriacMilitaryMFS (@SyriacMFS) June 29, 2021