"Day Press" website published a story about the young lady "Raifa" who entered the hospital in Aleppo after health problems, at the hospital they found out that she is pregnant, her family gathered in front of the hospital claiming to extradite her, in order to kill her for honor! It quoted that "competent authorities" expressed reservations on the young Raifa in the hospital. , After having filed a report about the incident.

Regardless of any consideration for Raifa, the murder under any pretext whatsoever, especially on the pretext of "honor" protected by the Syrian government and Syrian law, and encouraged through the Decree 37 of 2009, Article 192 of the Penal Code, the lives of young Raifa is the responsibility of the Syrian government which is responsible for the life of every citizen.

When one's life in Syria is threatened intentionally or unintentionally, and the Syrian government knows about that, and does not take the appropriate action to protect the threatened person and deter aggressors, it means that the government in this case is totally a partner in the crime, according to the Syrian law itself, as the Syrian law considers the one who knows about a crime and doesn't report it, a partner in this crime.

Syrian government doesn't have any excuse for abandoning its constitutional duty, as today in Syria we have several shelters which can host young Raifa. Such as an "Oasis of Hope" that established specifically for this purpose two and a half years ago, which is competent to protect women who are subjected to violence in Syria.

Also, not taking any action against the planners of murder, is more or less an encouragement for them to continue planning to carry out their crime. Consequently, the Syrian government has to take a strict stance towards those who seek to kill "Raifa," by threatening clearly that everyone involved in planning, supporting or committing such a crime would receive a severe punishment.

Raifa's life today is in the hands of the Syrian government. Today, the Syrian government must decide whether to continue violating the Syrian constitution by the repeated oppression of women in Syria, and devoting her as a servant and belonging to the male mentality, or to take some steps to get out of this dark tunnel where the government put itself for many years now, which is demonstrated by its continued support for honor killings, and depriving the woman's children of her citizenship , and expulsion her from the house naked after divorce, and depriving them of heating coupons, and so on ....

Raifa today stands alone in front of her own destiny... Is there anyone who is going to speak and work publicly and say loudly: NO for killing women, NO for honor murders, NO for ongoing violations of the rights of the Syrian women?!

Bassam AlKadi, 7/3/2010, ("Raifa's" life is the responsibility of the Syrian government and her death makes the government a partner in the crime.)

Syrian Women Observatory

source in Arabic