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London mother goes missing after arrest by Syrian secret police
Kiran Randhawa1 Apr 2009
FEARS are growing today for the safety of a British woman who is missing after she was arrested in Syria.
The family of Maryam Kallis say she may be suffering severe mistreatment in a country where torture is widespread.
The mother-of-four from Acton was seized in a busy street in the capital Damascus and handcuffed by men in plain clothes two weeks ago.
They then searched the apartment she was renting before taking the 35-year-old to an unknown location.
Her husband Masood, 36, said: "Anyone who understands the Middle East knows the Syrian intelligence services are renowned for using torture."
He also accused the Foreign Office of not doing enough to secure his wife's release saying he believes it is because she is Muslim.
"If it was a Jane or a John who was missing the Prime Minister would have been involved by now," said Mr Kallis.
The reason for Mrs Kallis's arrest is unknown. She was seized on 15 March, two days before a British man was arrested. He is also missing. Mr Kallis said: "We want Maryam home. She's done nothing wrong. If she had done something wrong, she would have been put in front of a court, not held like this."
The couple moved to Damascus in 2002 and enrolled at the Abi Noor Institute of Arabic.
They separated 18 months ago and Mr Kallis returned to London with their eldest child while his wife remained in Syria with her three youngest children. She was sharing an apartment with her sister when she was arrested.
Her sister alerted Mr Kallis to his wife's arrest and told him she had been taken away by officers while walking in Shamdeen Square in the Rukna al-Din area of the city. Mr Kallis said: "It was a public place. They had no uniforms and no ID, all they had were handcuffs. She was with our eight-year-old son. These men took them back to her apartment, which was just a few hundred metres away, and took her passport, the children's passports and her sister's passport.
"They were very aggressive and when she refused to leave the apartment with them they just pushed her out.
"That was two weeks ago and we haven't heard from her since. My wife is an ordinary person and she has no interest in politics. The children are traumatised by her disappearance, and her sister is very close to breaking point."
Tim Hancock, UK campaigns director of Amnesty, said: "We're very concerned about Maryam's situation. The Syrian security services have a long record of detaining people in secret for weeks, months or even years on end and subjecting them to torture."
The Foreign Office rejected the accusation that it had not been doing enough to find his wife. A spokesman said: "We offer the same assistance to British nationals regardless of their ethnic origin." He said the FO had been pressing the Syrian government for access to both Britons being held.
Reader views (13)
Funny how these Muslims put Islam before country, except when they need help; then suddenly being 'British' is far more important to them.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 02/04/2009 09:05
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Sorry but this lady is living in her own choice of country and knows the territory, why an earth should her ex-husband expect this country to intervene on her behalf, funny how the race card and being british is played to get action.
How many have been taken for whatever reason by whom ever in Syria - are we responsible for them all????
- Pat, west sussex, 01/04/2009 21:39
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I agree Shani&Sabz,she is a mother and a wife,but above all she is a human being and the people who post such heartless comments have no empathy for there own kind and that is tragic for them,as a true English gentleman I'm as sorry for them almost as much as I'm sorry for her.
- Kev, London-UK, 01/04/2009 21:07
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If this was one of your family members you wouldnt be saying that and would hate it if this was said about your family member, so dont say something to someone elses family member what you wouldnt like being said to your own family members.
- Sabz, nottingham, 01/04/2009 18:30
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She CHOSE to live in Syria. That means she hardly qualifies as a 'London mother'.
Has anyone considered another scenario - criminal kidnap? They said that the 'officers' had no ID, just handcuffs. That sort of society must by like a help yourself sweetshop for some of the more malignant members of society. Sure it could be the authorities, but based upon what is known, it could be anything else too - but that's not stopping the partisan commentary, is it!
- Rogan, Irving, 01/04/2009 17:16
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I think it is very sad how un-sympathetic some people can be. I hate to imagine how they would be feeling if it was someone close to them.
- Shani, nottm, 01/04/2009 17:05
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Apparently, Syria is trying to rid itself of all the foreigners who are 'studying' Arabic there, and has told them to leave the Islamic colleges where they are studying. Mrs Kallis should have known this. No sympathy for her, especially after her husband claiming that if she was white, the Prime Minister would be involved.
- Sue Rochester, London, 01/04/2009 16:22
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SORRAYA!!! - come on if she has been happy living in Syria why should we now get involved? What business is it of ours how other countries are run.
Kev - if the UK applied a little bit of the same approach perhaps we would nto have such high crime (stabbings, rape, etc)
Let's not judge others - it is none of our business
- London Eye, london, 01/04/2009 15:16
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STEVE, YOU ARE A INHUMAN PERSON, THESE COUNTRIES ARE BARBARIC, HOPE SHE GETS BACK HERE SOON AND SAFE AFTER ALL SHE IS BRITISH..... SORRAYA
- Sorray, croydon, 01/04/2009 13:25
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Her and her husband decided to move to Syria, presumably where her family originates in 2002. Now our Foreign Office are expected to help when it seems her husband knew what the country was like before they moved there.
- Sue, Orpington, Kent, 01/04/2009 12:53
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Looks like a nice country ! Wonder why Mrs Kallis from Acton, excuse me that is what is written in the article. In fact since 2002, also in the article, she is from Damascus and nowhere else.
I wonder why her husba,d is still living in England and she in Syria. Maybe that is what looks bizzare !
Now if she still has a Syrian Passport, or if Syria does not accept dual nationality, then for Syrians she is Syrian.
- Terry. B, Toulouse, France, 01/04/2009 11:46
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Don't go to Syria then.I've no sympathy for this woman.
- Steve, London, 01/04/2009 11:27
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The poor woman,must be a terrifying experience to be taken like that especially considering the record Syria has for the use of torture,but Syria is not alone among Islamic countries for the use of torture and blatant disregard for human rights.
- Kev, London-UK, 01/04/2009 10:46
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