Politics

U.S. State Department Deplores the Attack on Syrian Cartoonist Ali Farzat

Friday, August 26, 2011

Washington - (PanOrient News) The U.S. State Department on Thursday condemned the attack on the Syrian well known political cartoonist Ali Farzat, and called on "the Assad regime to immediately stop its campaign of terror."

A statement issued by Victoria Nuland, U.S. State Department spokesperson, said "the Syrian government’s targeted, brutal attack on Ali Farzat, the most popular political cartoonist in the country and a long-time human rights advocate, is deplorable."

"The regime’s thugs focused their attention on Ferzat’s hands, beating them furiously and breaking one of them - a clear message that he should stop drawing," it added.

Ali Farzat was then reportedly dumped on the side of a road in Damascus, where passers-by stopped and took him to a Damascus hospital.

"While making empty promises about dialogue with the Syrian people, the Assad regime continues to carry out brutal attacks against peaceful Syrians trying to exercise their universal right to free expression. We demand that the Assad regime immediately stop its campaign of terror through torture, illegal imprisonment, and murder," according to the statement


Photo: Wounded Syrian cartoonist Ali Farzat rests in bed at his residence in Damascus after being grabbed and beaten up.

PanOrient News



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