Press Release
War Rapes Committed in Syria are a Means of Systematic Humiliation of Women

The International Rescue Committee revealed on Monday, 14th January 2013, that rape is being used as a tool of war in Syria which is the main reason Syrian families are fleeing to neighbouring countries. It described this heinous crime as a 'significant and disturbing feature of the Syrian civil war.' Those interviewed said that women face abduction, rape, torture and murder. Women also described being attacked in public and in their homes, with some subjected to gang-rape infront of family members.

The catastrophic situation in Syria of murder, intimidation, displacement and destruction of mosques and houses without the slightest regard to moral or humanitarian values is apparent for all to see. The killing of eight children and five women in an airstrike on the town of 'Moadamiya' Al-Sham this week will not be the last of these crimes. Alongside this are the systematic rape crimes by Assad's henchmen against our sisters in Syria, who came out, side by side with the men to firmly declare their rejection of Al-Assad's Kufr Baathist regime which subjected them through tribulations over four decades, ruled them with an iron fist and subjected them to kufr secular rule. They have declared resoundingly, "It is for Allah, it is for Allah." Hence, demanding the overthrow of Al-Assad's Kufr Baathist system and the establishment of an Islamic Caliphate. Consequently Bashar Al-Assad is persistent in ordering his thugs to commit these systematic heinous crimes in order to terrorize our people in Syria and discourage them from their resolution to establish the rule of Allah, which pleases the created and the Creator.

(وَما نَقَموا مِنهُم إِلّا أَن يُؤمِنوا بِاللَّهِ العَزيزِ الحَميدِ)

"And they had no fault, except that they believed in Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Praiseworthy."
[Al-Buruj: 85:8]

This might explain why thousands of Syrians are willing to flee to neighbouring countries and live in camps which lack basic facilities with humiliating and degrading conditions, suffering extreme hardship, preferring that to falling prey to the despicable attacks of these tyrants. Such despicable crimes are another tool of war aimed at demeaning Muslim women and breaking the resolve of the sincere Muslims of Syria in their struggle to remove this murderer Assad.

O Muslims:

Those who are killed and orphaned are your sons; those who are agonized by the bitter grief for the loss of their children are your fathers; those who are widowed, loose their children and are raped are your mothers and sisters. Allah (swt) says (إِنَّمَا المُؤمِنونَ إِخوَةٌ) "The believers are but brothers" [Al-Hujurat 49:10] Where are you from answering the Call of Allah Almighty? Where are you from supporting and defending them? Know that Allah will account you if you abandon them or become complacent about supporting them. Know also that supporting your brothers in Syria is not only through making dua even if it is sincere, nor is it through sheltering those who migrated to protect their lives and deen, although this is your duty. Supporting our people in Syria is by standing in the face of your rulers and holding them accountable for their betrayal of your brothers and even colluding with the criminal Al-Assad against them. It is through appealing to your sons in the armies stationed in their barracks, mobilizing their resolve and summoning their vigor to rise up to support their brothers in Al-Sham.

O Armies, O Officers:

Al Mutasim responded by summoning a formidable army to support a woman who was slapped in the face. Are you not aggravated by the thousands of mothers who have lost their children? Are you not incensed by the thousands of girls who were orphaned? Are you not provoked by the thousands of women who were widowed? Did not your blood boil in rage for your sisters who were raped and lost their most precious possession? If this did not stir in you the valor of Al Mutasim, when will this happen! The Messenger of Allah peace be upon him said:

"مَا مِنِ امْرِئٍ يَخْذُلُ مُسْلِمًا فِي مَوْطِنٍ يُنْتَقَصُ فِيهِ مِنْ عِرْضِهِ إِلا خَذَلَهُ اللَّهُ فِي مَوْطِنٍ يُحِبُّ فِيهِ نُصْرَتَهُ، وَمَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ يَنْصُرُ مُسْلِمًا فِي مَوْطِنٍ يُنْتَقَصُ فِيهِ مِنْ عِرْضِهِ وَيُنْتَهَكُ فِيهِ مِنْ حُرْمَتِهِ إِلا نَصَرَهُ اللَّهُ فِي مَوْطِنٍ يُحِبُّ فِيهِ نُصْرَتَه"

"No man forsakes a Muslim when his honour is being violated except that Allah will forsake him at a place in which he would love to have His help. And no man helps a Muslim at a time when his dignity is being compromised and his honour violated except that Allah will help him at a place in which he loves to have His Help."

Have you become accustomed to submission and subservient to your treacherous agent rulers? Do you favour the dress of humiliation which has been given to you by your rulers, or will you respond to the call of your Messenger (saw), awaking within the chivalry of Al Mutasim and hasten to defend the honour of your mothers and sisters in Al-Sham who are crying out and calling O Al Mutasim, O Armies.

(إِلّا تَنفِر‌وا يُعَذِّبكُم عَذابًا أَليمًا وَيَستَبدِل قَومًا غَيرَ‌كُم وَلا تَضُرّ‌وهُ شَيـًٔا ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَلىٰ كُلِّ شَىءٍ قَديرٌ‌)

"If you do not go forth, He will punish you with a painful punishment and will replace you with another people, and you will not harm Him at all. And Allah is over all things competent." [At-Taubah 9:39]

Dr. Nazreen Nawaz
Member of the Central Media Office
of Hizb ut Tahrir