Spread the word please! Email, share, re-blog, tweet.. anything that would help to Free Razan!

A friend of mine and an endless advocate for human rights, Razan Ghazzawi, was arrested on Sunday, December 4th at the Syrian/Jordanian border – on her way to a conference for media activism in A’mman.  She is one of the many courageous bloggers and activists of Syria who risk their lives to get information out about the revolution and other prisoners of conscience.  Razan is an amazing person, a brilliant thinker, and one of the bravest, most steadfast people I know. No one can judge those who choose to hide behind koffiyeh’s and masks – but Razan did everything under her full family name – in pure defiance of this Oppressive Regime!  Her courage is an example to us all at this time of social revolutions.

You can read past writings at her blog:  http://razanghazzawi.com/

Please like this support page and share with you friends on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/freerazan

If you could all take 10 minutes to make some calls, write some emails, or tweet some information adding appropriate hashtags – please do so!  We have heard from other prisoners in Syria that phone calls really do help turn out information about where people are being held, and often times can aide them in getting released.  So, please, help spread the word and take some time to help our friend and comrade Razan.

Below are other steps you can take to help, and below that are phone numbers to call, email addresses to write, and appropriate scripts for each.  Arabic articles and a statement from Syrian Bloggers is at the end.

Thank you!
Alia

PS There is a rumor happening today (Monday the 5th) that Razan will be released tonight – but let’s keep the pressure on – as we can anticipate the lies of the Regime!

1. Write an email or send a fax to your local politician, Foreign Minister, members of parliament of congress. Use the internet to find their contact details or see this list of emails. Razan is an American Citizen – See here for a list of US Embassies to contact demanding they take urgent action.  (I have compiled important numbers and put them at the bottom of the email!)

2. Use your profile photo to draw attention to Razan’s arrest and the plight of all prisoners in Syria via Twibbon or you can use this image, or make your own

3. Use the tag #FreeRazan to share links, videos, news from #Syria – keep attention levels UP, don’t let this important news be overpowered by other stories and fade from view. Here’s some US Twitter users that you could message: @AlecJRoss @RobatState @KrisAtState @AnnatState @State_DRL @SlaughterAM @USEmbassySyria @USEmbassyJordan @StateDept

4. Post news and links to FaceBook, blog, forums, and in comments on videos and news posts about Syria. If you write, please write about this issue. Search FaceBook for other pages or groups where you can post messages or links to raise awareness.

5. Schedule tweets for when you can’t be online – use Dlvr IT for feeds or Buffer for individual tweets

6. Join the new Free Razan FaceBook page and share the page with all your friend

7. Continue Red’s work! She fought for the rights and freedom of all detained Syrians, you can help by doing the same. Don’t let Razan’s arrest remove all those other victims from the spotlight, too. Check the #Syria tag on Twitter – but watch out for trolls! Look at @Mar15Syriatimeline or website for example, or see the latest Syria tweets here.

8. Learn from her example. Razan had a contingency plan shared with close trusted friends, of what to do in case of her arrest. They mobilizxed as soon as they heard the news, locking down her FaceBook page, securing her email, blog and Twitter, then posting messages explaining their actions. Should you or anyone you know do the same?

Contact the State Department!
US State Department : Eastern Affiars  Richard Soler 571 345 3005
Office of Middle East Director Helene Kessler 202 776 8404
Middle East Team Leader Adam Bloomquist 202 776 8559

Contact Syrian Consulates!

Dr. Hazem Chehabi    Tel: (949) 640-9888  Fax: (949) 640 9292

California
Mr. Ayman Midani Tel: (713) 622-8860 Fax: (713) 622-8872

Texas

Dr. Naji Arwashan Tel: (248) 519-2496  Fax: (248) 519-2399

Embassy of Syria

(202) 232-6316
theambassador@syrembassy.net

Phone Talking Points 

• That US-born Syrian blogger Razan Ghazzawi was arrested, and you urge she have immediate access to her family, legal counsel, medical care and that her whereabouts be known
• She is a human rights advocate and a part of the brave people that practice Freedom of Media and Expression in a world that punishes those who dare to tell the Truth
• It is known that the Syrian Regime regularly practices torture and that many people never come to trial, or are killed in detention
• We need to build pressure for the release of all prisoners of conscience!

Email/Call the US Embassies in the Arab World

Telephone: (961) 4 542600 – 543600
Fax: (961) 4 544136
BeirutACS@state.gov

Telephone: 962-6-590-6000
Fax: 962-6-592-0163
WebmasterJordan@state.gov

Tunisia
Main switchboard:  +216 71 107 000
Fax:  +216 71 963 263
consulartunis@state.gov

Telephone: 9661-4883800
Fax: 9661-4887360

USEmbRiyadhWebSite@state.gov

Istanbul / Turkey
Phone: (90) 212-335 90 00
acs_istanbul@state.gov

Email Script  (make sure to change wording if you are emailing a Syrian Consulate representative or a US State Department rep)

To Whom it May Concern:

I am writing to you in order to express my concern over the arrest of Razan Ghazzawi.

On Sunday, December 4th, 2011, Razan Ghazzawi was arrested by border officers at the Jordon-Syrian border on her way to attend a conference on Freedom of Media in the Arab World, as a representative for the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression.

Razan Ghazzawi, a human rights activist and blogger, has not been charged with any crime and is thus a prisoner of conscience according to international law. Credible and internationally respected human rights organizations, such as Amnesty International, have voiced concerns about the use of torture and the abuse of human rights occurring in Syrian prisons and detention centres. These reports have prompted serious concerns for the safety of Razan and other Syrian prisoners of conscience.

I am calling on the (United States government to pressure the) Syrian government to order the immediate and unconditional release of Razan Ghazzawi.

I demand the Syrian government immediately clarify the reason, legal basis and place of detention of Razan Ghazzawi; to cease holding her incommunicado and allow her immediate access to her family, legal counsel of her own choosing, and any medical attention she may require; and to ensure that she is protected against torture or other ill-treatment.

I thank you for your urgent attention to this matter.

Your Name

بيان مشترك | مدونون سوريون | حول اعتقال المدونة السورية رزان غزاوي :

بالكاد تنفّسنا الصعداء بعد الإفراج عن زميلنا حسين غرير قبل أن يعود اختناق الغضب والحزن ليذكّر صدورنا بواقع القمع والكبت وعبادة الصّمت الذي نعيشه.. وردنا خبر اعتقال زميلتنا رزان غزّاوي.

رزان غزّاوي سوريّة بامتياز.. سوريّة بعملها المحموم للمرافعة عن القضية الفلسطينيّة وﻻجئيها في وسائط الإعلام اﻻجتماعي باللغتين العربيّة واﻻنكليزيّة، سوريّة بالتزامها بكل قضايا التقدّم والعدالة اﻻجتماعيّة والمساواة، سوريّة بوقوفها مع الأحرار في طريقهم لنيل الحرّية والكرامة.. رزان صوتٌ ﻻ يريد له الصمت إﻻ أعداء الحقّ والكرامة والعدالة والحرّية.

نطالب السلطات السوريّة بالإفراج الفوري عن رزان غزّاوي وعن كلّ معتقلات ومعتقلي الرأي والضمير والكرامة، ونحمّلها مسؤوليّة أي أذى قد تتعرّض له، كما نطالبها بكف سياسة القمع الإرهابي الرعناء بحق المواطنين السّوريين، وندعو جميع أنصار الحقّ والحرّية للتضامن مع رزان غزّاوي، معنا، مع سوريا..!

نرجو من الصديقات والأصدقاء المساهمة في نشر النص في المدوّنات والصفحات والشبكات اﻻجتماعيّةهاش تاغ