E/CN.4/1993/62 page 98 Syrian Arab Republic 63. In a communication sent on 8 November 1991 (E/CN.4/1992/52, para. 68), addressed to the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic, the following information was transmitted by the Special Rapporteur: "According to the information received, members of the Syrian Jewish community residing in Aleppo, Damascus and Kamishli, suffer discrimination because of their religion. It has been alleged that members of the Jewish community are not allowed to emigrate from Syria and are permitted to travel abroad only for short periods in order to visit relatives or undergo medical treatment. It has also been alleged that the persons who wish to travel are obliged to deposit large sums of money and are not allowed to travel with their entire family. This emigration policy has reportedly been conducive to attempts to escape and it has been alleged that the persons who have been caught were imprisoned without charge or trial and were subjected to torture and ill-treatment. It has been reported that a special branch of the secret police exclusive task of monitoring the activities of the Jewish community. cards of the members of the Jewish community are said to be marked in contain the word Mousawi (Jew) while no such indications exist on the cards of members of the Syrian Muslim and Christian communities. has the Identity blue and identity According to the sources, members of the Jewish community do not have the right to vote and cannot be candidates in any election. They are also said to be barred from employment by the Government. Their right to inherit or dispose of personal and real estate property is allegedly severely restricted. In addition, the mail they receive from abroad is said to be censored and their telephone calls monitored. The Special Rapporteur has already referred to the problem of emigration of members of the Syrian Jewish community in his report to the Commission on Human Rights at its forty-sixth session (E/CN.4/1990/46)." 64. On 3 January 1992, the Permanent Mission of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations Office at Geneva transmitted the following information to the Centre for Human Rights with regard to the above-mentioned allegation: "Information regarding Syrian citizens of the Jewish faith 1. For hundreds of years, Syrian citizens of the Jewish faith have coexisted in peace and harmony in the Syrian Arab society in which they were born. Throughout history, none of them has been subjected to any discrimination or persecution, and they have shared in all aspects of life in the country. In recent decades, however, they have been pressured and coerced by external forces to leave their homeland. In response, and in order to eliminate the residual effects of that campaign, the President of the Republic issued directives in 1976 aimed at boosting their economic and social situation. As a result, they became more resolutely attached to their homeland, expanded their properties and businesses, and virtually abandoned any idea of emigrating abroad.