Syria Interview: The Life of an Activist on the Run (Fischer/Zeitouneh)

Susanne Fischer of the Institute for War and Peace Reporting interviews Razan Zeitouneh, a human rights lawyer in hiding in Syria after regime accusations that she is a foreign agent:

You are a respected Damascus lawyer. And yet you are wanted by the Syrian secret police. Why?

The wanted list is very long these days; many of my friends have been arrested or are in hiding like me. The regime is arresting activists, but also ordinary people in large numbers. Many are tortured to break their spirits. The “ordinary” prisoners are released, so they tell of their fate and spread fear. Those with a leading role in the protests remain in custody. 

When did you go into hiding?

On March 23, after the massacre at the Omari mosque in Dera’a, to which protesters had retreated. That day security forces surrounded the mosque and brutally attacked it. I gathered information from Dera’a and passed it on to international media. Subsequently, Syrian state television defamed me as a foreign agent. So I knew they would come to get me soon. I gathered the most necessary things and left my apartment. 

What about your family? Are they also being threatened?

About two weeks ago, intelligence officers came to my husband’s workplace. They wanted to arrest him, but luckily he happened not to be there. So he went into hiding as well. Later, security forces forcibly entered our apartment. Unfortunately, my brother-in-law was there, 20-year-old Abdul Rahman, and they took him in instead of my husband. Since then we have not heard from him. 

So you are the run in your own country. How do you manage everyday life?

I only go out for the most urgent errands. Once I did not see the sun for three weeks. But then I could not resist and went to a demo in Douma, near Damascus. After all, I went into hiding to continue with my work, not to give up.

How do you obtain information about what is going on in the country while in hiding?

I have been working as a human rights lawyer for many years and defended many political prisoners and know most of the activists. I have a good network across the country....

<>Many fear that a fall of the regime could lead to civil war and to riots against religious minorities.

The Syrian people have in the past few weeks shown the world how peaceful and civilised they are. All the protesters insist on national unity and reject sectarian speeches. Despite massive military force on the part of the regime, the people remained peaceful. In my opinion, this is proof that the Syrians, if they get the chance, will transform their land peacefully.

What can the West do to prevent more bloodshed in Syria?

The Syrians do not need any military intervention. We need political and diplomatic pressure on the regime to stop the violence against the people. We Syrians have regained faith in ourselves. We can take our future in our own hands.

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