We have received two independent reports – one from Syria and one from Turkey – both concluding that he doubtlessly has been subjected to torture. Now we are publishing a summary of these reports.

It should be noted that this is not the first time Abdulkarim Hossain has been subjected to torture in Syria. In 1998 (for two months) and in 1999 (for 43 days), in 2ooo (for 66 days) and in 2oo3 (for another 43 days) he was arrested and tortured. On these occasions he was held in a 2 square meter cell without ever being tried in front of a court, and subjected torture every single time. As he feared that he once again would be subject to the same treatment, Hossain chose to flee the country in 2oo6 when it became clear that he once again was under the surveillance of the Syrian security forces.

Extensive use of torture

After the incarceration upon the arrival in Syria in August 2o1o Hossain once again was exposed to a number of torture methods. Among these are beatings, repeated punches to certain parts of the body, pressure to the testicles, harassment, threats and isolation. He was deprived of sleep for days at the time, he was humiliated through forced nudity, and he was forced to listen to others being tortured. Hossain has an injury on the one ear that with absolute certainty can be traced back to the torture to which he was subjected in prison.

During his last incarceration he also received an offer to become an agent for the authorities, and he was denied access to his diabetes medications. In addition the torture has left him with a number of mental symptoms such as sleep problems, the early stages of social anxiety, anger outbursts and general severe mental problems. Following his incarseration his diabetic condition worsened, and his ear could as of the middle of October still not be properly examined due to his ailments.

What does the Norwegian authorities do?

Several people in Norway are still working actively for granting Abdulkarim Hossain refuge in the country. Consistently we have pointed to the danger that he once again would face torture, and the fear turned out to be grounded in reality. We who supports Abdulkarim Hossain’s right to maintain refuge in Norway have also pointed to the case of Khaled Kenjo, who was arrested in Syria in September 2009, twelve days after being deported from Germany, where he unsuccessfully had applied for asylum.

In Syrian captivity he was accused for ’broadcasting false news that could hurt the state’s reputation in other countries’, apparantly because Germany had taken part in activities promoting the rights of Kurdish minorities in Syria. December 30th last year, Qamishli let him be released on bail. He has also declared that he was tortured while in captivity.

Norway’s commitment according to our own and international law, including the United Nations’s 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, and the 1967 amended United Nations’s Convention against Torture, and the European Convention on Human Rights proscibe the returning of individuals to a nation in which they risk persecution, torture, reprehensible treatment or other severe violations of human rights. Norwegian authorities should therefore immediately get involved in returning Abdulkarim Hossain to Norway and grant him refuge here.