INITIATIVE: Syrian Expatriates Organization (SEO) Launches Media Campaign

SEO is launching a media awareness campaign to shed light on the illegal detention of women in Syria, a little covered aspect of the crisis. Syrian women have and continue to play an integral role in Syrian Revolution for freedom, dignity and democracy. As builders of a future society, it is imperative that their rights and safety are protected. Each week, SEO will highlight a different Syrian woman prisoner's story in the hopes that her story will be publicized, and action taken to help secure her release.

This week will be dedicated to Dima Masoud, a worker for the Syrian Red Cross who was arrested in Jaramana on April 23 2013. For more on Dima's story, please see:http://www.syrian-expatriates.org/seo-freedom-for-syrian-women/

The Syrian Network for Human Rights has reported that there are over 6,400 women in detention, with 1,000 of them being university students. 700 women were reportedly raped while in detention. Conservative estimates peg the total number of detainees in Syria at 37,000.

SEO continues to demand the immediate and unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience. SEO call on international human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and Women in the World to continue to use their resources to put pressure on the Syrian government to release Syrian women prisoners of conscience, as well as raise awareness of their plight.