October 17th, 2017

Mr. ZeidRa'aad Al Hussein, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

Dear Sir:

We the undersigned petition your immediate intervention on behalf of the human rights of the 500 political prisoners in Homs Central Prison, Syria, who are in immanent grave danger of mass execution. Your urgent intervention is required to save the lives of these prisoners. We call upon you to intervene immediately to demand the Assad regime grant access to the prisoners without delay for United Nations observers and professional medical personnel. We call upon you to issue an immediate statement demanding the human rights of the prisoners be respected by the regime, that the prisoners not be subject to retaliation, and that the regime will be held responsible for the lives of the prisoners. The timely intervention of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights could save the lives of these prisoners, who have already suffered untold horrors and brutality at the hands of the regime.

Below we attach the statement from the besieged detainees. 
Link to AVAAZ petition: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Zeid_Raaad_Al_Hussein_Stop_the_Mass_Execution_of_Political_Prisoners_in_Homs_Syria/?cZhzxmb
Statement From Besieged Detainees in Homs Central Prison
17-10-2017: More than 500 political prisoners in Homs Central Prison detained by the regime for participating in the Syrian revolution who are currently besieged and facing possible massacre by regime forces and supporting militias, have issued a statement announcing that they have launched a hunger strike, and issuing a distress call to all international organizations, especially those concerned with human rights, to the international community, and to the all the free people of the world.
The statement reads:….

Letter from the rioted prisoners in Homs Central Prison:

From inside the central prison of Homs and from the prisoners of our beloved country in general to all the international organizations, international humanitarian and human rights organizations, to the international community and all the free peoples in the world.
We are the prisoners of the central prison of Homs and we have five hundred and fifty detainees detained with the background of the revolution that has taken placein our beloved country.We declare that we will refuse foodand drink and declare a hunger strike, the empty stomach strike.

1. Because we have suffered, as the great Syrian people have suffered, from oppression, injustice and tyranny.
2. Because we were always treated as the weakest link in any negotiations, and we were the last item to be considered in any local or international meeting.
3.Because we are abused in the prison and cannot bear this suffering, and the pain of our parents, spouses, children and loved ones.
4.Because all the promises made by all the parties to the conflict and crisis in Syria have been in vain.

Our demands:

1. This is an appeal to all humanitarian organizations to intervene immediately to prevent any incursion into prison.
2. Our peaceful hunger strike is our legitimate right and is the only way left to us to raise our voice for all the free people of the world.
3. We demand that we be immediately evacuated from prison prior to any negotiation, as with those areas, towns and villages evacuated within hours under the auspices of international observers.
4. We only want our freedom and our dignity and the release of ourselves and our families, so that we return to our parents, our children and our loved ones.

Detainees of Homs Central Prison.
HomsTuesday 17 10 2017 at 2 am –