Syria threatens cyber activist

SMN No. 16, April 8, 2011

The website “The Daily Best” reports in one of its blogs that the Syrian cyber activist Malath Aumran has been threatened by the authorities. Mike Giglio, a newsweek reporter who had recently written a feature on the activities of Malath Aumran, describes how Syrian security forces have revealed the identity of the activist who had been working under a pseudonym for three years.

Aumran, states Giglio, was told by government agents Wednesday that if he doesn’t publicly renounce the political protests in Syria, security forces will arrest his family. The threat was posted on Aumran´s Facebook page.

Other political opposition figures confirm that threats against family members are a common weapon of the Syrian regime to intimidate opponents. Giglio quotes Radwan Ziadeh, a Syrian activist and visiting scholar at George Washington University: “They release some, arrest others, torture them for a few days. And they ask them to sign a contract [saying they won’t] participate in any demonstration again.”

Despite the threat, Aumran refused to give in to the regime´s demands.

“I have friends in jail. I will not fail them. I have friends who died. I will not fail them. I am responsible now for everyone I encouraged to go to the street. I will not withdraw,” he said. “And I am sure my family will understand. But it’s hard decision, you know? Maybe I will send my relative to torture tonight”, he told Giglio.