Syriac Progressive Youth Union recalls arrest of Syriac leader Said Malke by Syrian regime

ZALIN, Syria — On the 9th anniversary of the disappearance of Syriac political leader Said Malke by security forces of the Syrian regime, the Syriac Progressive Youth Union in Syria issued a statement condemning the abduction and calling for the truth about Malke’s fate to be revealed.

Comrade Malke was arrested on 12 August 2013 in Zalin (Qamishli), North and East Syria. No information about his fate has been made public by regime authorities and his condition remains ambiguous. Malke’s fate is shared by tens of thousands of detainees in the prisons of the Syrian regime who were arbitrarily arrested, most of them because of their call for freedom of opinion and expression.

Malke’s arrest is not only in violation of international human rights laws but also a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions concerned with the Syrian dossier.

“On the 9th anniversary of the arrest of Comrade Said Malke, we affirm and renew our demands to the Syrian regime to reveal his fate and support efforts of the International Envoy to build peace in Syria and achieve the desired democratic change, which passes through several axes, including the issue of detainees, which we consider an essential step to peace,” read the statement.

It is our right, and the right of all Syrians rights, to build a state of rights and freedoms that end oppression and tyranny, wrote the Union. The statement continued:

“On this anniversary, we renew our pledge to follow the path of our Comrade Malke, which is the path of freedom and adherence to principles for defending the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people and Syria.

Comrade Malke had a role in encouraging the Syriac youth. He highlighted the importance of the youth and worked to develop them towards a moral and democratic society.

The sacrifices of our righteous martyrs will keep illuminating our path of struggle towards achieving our national and patriotic goals.”