About Yahya Shurbaji:
Born 1979, Yahya Shurbaji is a 32-year-old nonviolence visionary. He was part of the original Daraya Youth group which devoted itself to studying nonviolence and to civic projects in the community, and which had to disband in 2003 when eighteen of its members were imprisoned. Yahya emerged from his two-and-a-half year prison sentence as a compassionate, down-to-earth community leader.
When the Syrian revolution began in March 2011, Yahya became known as “the man with the roses” because he promoted the giving of roses, at every Daraya rally, to soldiers sent to suppress the protesters. He won hearts to the way of nonviolence by his insistance that the protesters must not even shout insults at the regime forces.
Yahya was imprisoned on September 6, 2011, in a trap set by Air Force Security – the same trap in which Ghiyath Matar was captured. Ghiyath’s tortured body was returned to his family 3 days later. Yahya’s brother, Maan Shurbaji, and two other men were also captured in that operation. As a young leader of protesters, Yahya is at risk of torture.
TAKE ACTION
1. Join Yahya’s support page on Facebook. The “Info” category is in English as well as Arabic.
2. Write for Yahya Shurbaji:
Please use the below sample letter to demand the immediate and unconditional release of Yahya Shurbaji. The mail should be addressed to the Syrian Embassy in Washington DC, with copies to international foreign ministries worldwide as well as media outlets. Addresses appear below the sample letter.
SAMPLE LETTER:
To the relevant authorities:
I am writing to demand the immediate and unconditional release of nonviolence activist Yahya Shurbaji from detention in Syria’s security system.
Yahya Shurbaji, age 32, was detained on September 6, 2011 by Air Force Security. He is arbitrarily detained. Arbitrary detention is illegal according to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 7. Syria signed this Covenant on 21 April, 1969.
In addition, torture is illegal in Syria, both under international law as well as according to Article 28 (3) of the Syrian Constitution. The Penal Code of Syria stipulates punishment for anyone inflicting torture on a person. Syria’s security system is thus responsible for the safety and well-being of Yahya Shurbaji. I hold the Syrian government responsible for the safe return of Mr. Shurbaji, and for all prisoners of conscience and political prisoners currently held in Syria’s detention and prison system. All such detainees should be released immediately and without condition.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
ADDRESSES (copy & paste into your email address line):
To (Syrian Embassy in Washington DC): info@syrembassy.net
cc (Foreign Ministries worldwide): jerzy.buzek@europarl.europa.eu, michael.spindelegger@bmeia.gv.at, kab.bz@diplobel.fed.be, info@mvp.gov.ba, iprd@mfa.government.bg, imprensa@itamaraty.gov.br, imprensa@planalto.gov.br, pm@pm.gc.ca, ministar@mvpei.hr, minforeign1@mfa.gov.cy, podatelna@mzv.cz, udenrigsministeren@um.dk, vminfo@vm.ee, umi@formin.fi, bernard.kouchner@diplomatie.gouv.fr, inform@mfa.gov.ge, guido.westerwelle@auswaertiges-amt.de, gpapandreou@parliament.gr, titkarsag.konz@kum.hu, external@utn.stjr.is, dcpf@mea.gov.in, minister@dfa.ie, gabinetto@cert.esteri.it, segreteria.frattini@esteri.it, mfa.cha@mfa.gov.lv, tonio.borg@gov.mt, secdep@mfa.md, post@mfa.no, DNZPC.Sekretariat@msz.gov.pl, pm@pm.gov.pt, msp@mfa.rs, ministry@mid.ru, miguel.moratinos@maec.es, beatriz.lorenzo@maec.es, registrator@foreign.ministry.se, info@eda.admin.ch, info@mfa.gov.tr, haguew@parliament.uk, stewartkb@state.gov
cc (various media outlets): evening@cbsnews.com, earlyshow@cbs.com, 60m@cbsnews.com, 48hours@cbsnews.com, dateline@nbcuni.com, hardball@msnbc.com, joe@msnbc.com, nightly@nbc.com, today@nbc.com, newshour@pbs.org, ombudsman@npr.org, city@thestar.ca, letters@latimes.com, letters@nytimes.com, Bruce.Wallace@latimes.com, Mark.McGonigle@latimes.com, news-tips@nytimes.com, foreign@nytimes.com, nytnews@nytimes.com, editor@usatoday.com, wsj.ltrs@wsj.com, letters@washpost.com, ombudsman@washpost.com, letters@newsweek.com, letters@time.com, letters@usnews.com, info@ap.org, redaktion@faz.de, redactie@volkskrant.nl, ole.erik.almlid@aftenposten.no, bjorn.hedensjo@dn.se, redaktion@tages-anzeiger.ch, simon.jeffery@guardian.co.uk, redazione.tg5@mediaset.it, redazione.studioapertorm@mediaset.it, skytg24.redazione@skytv.it, segreteria_roma@repubblica.it, roma@lastampa.it, segreteria@unita.it, lorenzocairoli@hotmail.com, redazione@ilmanifesto.it, nadiapizzuti@gmail.com, nadia.pizzuti@ansa.it
* Photo and biography of Yahya Shurbaji provided by Dr. Mohja Kahf.
Act to Support Syrian Peoples' Struggle for Freedom 
free Yahya
Posted by mohanad | October 18, 2011, 12:57 pmالحرية ليحيى شربجي و لكل المعتقلين
Posted by hanadi | November 30, 2011, 8:55 amfreedom for Yahya
Posted by diya | October 18, 2011, 1:12 pmwe need freedom for nonviolence active Yahya Charbaji
Posted by yasser charbaji | October 18, 2011, 1:32 pmwe need freedom for nonviolence active Yahya Charbaji
Posted by سوري أصيل | October 18, 2011, 3:11 pmالحرية ليحيى الشربجي الناشط اللاعنفي و الحرية لجميع المعتقلين و منهم هشام الناموس الذي مضى على اعتقاله 93 يوما بتهمة توزيع المياه
Posted by سوري أصيل | October 18, 2011, 3:15 pmfreedom for yahya!!!
Posted by Salwa Khalek | October 18, 2011, 4:30 pmالحرية للبطل و الناشط الحر يحيى شربجي
Posted by أسماء الخطيب | October 18, 2011, 6:02 pmfreedom for yahya
Posted by jourjina dayoob | October 18, 2011, 9:36 pmWe ask Allah to protect him. He is one of the nicer people, he didn’t accept to fight with soldiers because they are our brothers. He preferred to be killed not to be killer.
Posted by wael | October 19, 2011, 9:57 amالحرية لك أيها الحر ..
Posted by Walaa Hoboubati | October 19, 2011, 2:06 pmالحرية للبطل و الناشط الحر يحيى شربجي
Posted by Almaestro Maestro | October 19, 2011, 4:12 pmFreedom of a young man Yahya
Posted by Aya Alsham | October 20, 2011, 12:33 pmO Allaah Faraj for Yahya shurbaji near future
Posted by Aya Alsham | October 20, 2011, 12:36 pmالحرية لخالي الحر يحيى شربجي
Posted by Aya Alsham | October 20, 2011, 12:37 pmاAallahm to free him and his response to his family safe and sound
Posted by نور الهدى | October 20, 2011, 12:43 pmWe are a family of free activist Yahya Sharabajee hold
the Syrian authorities any harm and damage to its
Posted by نور الهدى | October 20, 2011, 12:46 pmالحرية للحر البطل خالي يحيى شربجي
Posted by سوري حر | October 20, 2011, 12:49 pmGod, my brother, my Achtguetlk Ghali long your absence …. near private part, O God, the detainee Yehya and free all detainees in Syrian prisons
Posted by مريم شربجي | October 20, 2011, 12:51 pmfree Yahya
Posted by lara | October 22, 2011, 9:11 pmfree syria and leave the people live .. what kind of humanity you are BASHAR
Posted by surfer | October 26, 2011, 7:02 pmالحرية لكل المعتقلين السياسيين , الحرية لكل معتقلي التظاهرات السلمية , الحرية لكل النشطاء , الحرية ليحي الشربجي ومازن الشربجي وكل معتقلي داريا , الحرية لكل النشطاء السلميين , ليسقط نظام الإستبداد والقمع والأجهزة الأمنية , ليسقط النظام إلى الأبد ,
freedom to Syrian people and go out bashar al assad.
Posted by bader.a | October 27, 2011, 7:40 pmالحرية ليحيى شربجي ولكل معتقلي الرأي والتظاهرات السلمية
Posted by samar | November 30, 2011, 6:02 amالحرية لكل المعتقلين السياسيين و على رأسهم الأخ يحيى الشربجي، الذين عرضوا أنفسهم للخطر في سبيل المطالبة بحقوق الآخرين
لهم كل الاحترام و التقدير
Posted by Jameel Daghestani | November 30, 2011, 6:11 amfreedom to Yahya Shurbaji
Posted by محمد كركوتي | November 30, 2011, 6:44 amالحرية للشاب يحيى شربجي و لجميع الشباب والشابات الأحرار اللهم آمين
اللهم إحمهم و إحرسهم بعينك التي لا تنام , اللهم خفف عنهم ما هم فيه
اللهم نجّهم كما نجيت نبيك يوسف من سجنه آمين .. آمين .. آمين
Posted by Rafah Muhammad | November 30, 2011, 8:10 amنطالب بالإقراج الفوري عن الناشط يحيى شربجي
Posted by Aya Balsha | November 30, 2011, 8:24 amنطالب بالإفراج الفوري عن الناشط يحيى شربجي
Posted by نور الهدى | November 30, 2011, 8:27 amالحرية ليحيى شربجي ولجميع ثوار وابطال الثورة السورية
Posted by ثائر سوري | November 30, 2011, 9:26 amFreedom to Yehya and all Syrian prisoners of opinion
Posted by Rala Kelani | November 30, 2011, 10:56 amنطالب بالإفراج الفوري عن الناشط يحيى شربجي
Posted by Mamoun Mukaddam | November 30, 2011, 4:53 pmباسم كل الآشوريين السريان الأحرار في العالم ….. تحية اليك يحيى
ونطالب الجلادين بضرورة الإفراج عنك الآن فورا
Posted by Osama Edward Mousa | November 30, 2011, 5:29 pmFreedom for Yehya
Posted by free | December 5, 2011, 9:49 amالحرية ليحيى ولجميع المعتقلين السياسيين
Posted by ashiaei | December 5, 2011, 12:18 pm