Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I am aware of the abduction in the Douma suburb of Damascus by unknown gunmen on 9 December 2013 of several distinguished human rights activists associated with the Syrian Violations Documentation Centre, including its founder and human rights lawyer, Razan Zaitouneh. It remains unclear who was responsible for these abductions though there have been suggestions that they may have been carried out by opposition militant elements, possibly the Army of Islam, rather than the regime.

The leadership, dedication, physical and moral courage of human rights activists in Syria, facing continual threats from both the Assad regime and opposition extremists, is well known to many in the international community. Officials in my Department, including those based in the region, have met on a number of occasions with Syrian human rights defenders and continually monitor the many challenges and dangers they face. We urge the abductors of these activists, as well as those holding prisoners on all sides of the conflict, to release immediately all political detainees.