Syria’s Air Force Intelligence has decided to try Syrian human rights lawyer Mazen Darwish, head of the Damascus-based Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM), behind closed doors before a Military Field Court, Reuters reported yesterday.

The news agency said that the Geneva-based International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) expressed concern that Darwish might be facing the death penalty without the ability to exercise his right to a fair trial.

Military Field Courts are special wartime courts composed of military judges, the ICJ said, commenting: “Accused persons before these courts have no right to defense and proceedings are conducted in secret. These courts do not apply existing laws or procedures and their decisions are final, not subject to any form of appeal or review. Under Legislative Decree Mazen Darwish may face the death penalty.”

International Press Institute (IPI) Deputy Director Anthony Mills said: “IPI strongly condemns the decision to try Mr. Darwish behind closed doors. The move is consistent with the Syrian authorities’ brutal repression of free media advocacy and independent journalism. While we acknowledge that the threats to journalists operating in Syria come from all sides of the conflict, we urge the Syrian authorities to release their ruthless stranglehold on critical media voices.”

Since his detention in February, Darwish has been held in isolation at the Air Force Intelligence detention centre located in El Mezzeh, Damascus. He has not had access to any colleagues, family members or lawyers, and, according to human rights groups and sources within Syria, has likely been subjected to torture and ill-treatment.