A Syrian migrant needs help.

On April 26, 2020, at 11 pm, I heard a knock on my door. An officer went straight to a box on my bedside table. There were 10 officers in total.

I figured out some time later, that my ex partner had reported where to find drugs in the apartment we shared. I was arrested and taken to the lockup. I spent nine days in prison before being taken to court where I was charged with possession of 12 g of cannabis and 0.19 of etizolam poison drug. I pleaded not guilty to all charges.

I'm a 34-year-old queer Syrian. Through generous help, I fled to Malaysia in 2013. In 2011, I spent five days in the intelligence service detention centre after attending a demonstration which took place in my city, Aleppo. If I get deported this time, I will be prosecuted back home.

I met my ex-partner in 2017. She was a foreigner from a neighbouring country. We co-rented a small studio in KL where she would visit every two weeks. The tenancy agreement was under her name; unfortunately, she held a respected passport.

The tension between us got worse, in late February 2020, I broke up with her once and for all while she was out of Malaysia. She wanted me to move out of the studio where I was paying the full rent and utilities. I agreed to do so after the MCO is lifted. Moving out wasn’t an option. At the end of our relationship, she has threatened to report me to the Islamic authorities for being gay (even though she is queer) on top of becoming abusive and violent.

RM 5000 bail was made on May 8, 2020 on the day I was released and shortly after that I received a termination letter from my workplace. I had to go through multiple hearings and on 22 September 2020, the prosecution refused to drop the charges. A start of trial date was set on 22 March 2021.

I have two cats that were left with no water and food for nine days when I was in prison. They were smart to scratch the food packaging and drank from the toilet bowl (I assume toilet bowl).

At this point, the only thing I can do is to get my case heard and dismissed. If I lose the case, I can appeal, and if I exhaust my appeal and still get convicted, then I’ll need to serve out the sentence, and most probably get deported.

At the moment I am in a dire situation, I have no income, a lot of debts and RM20k to be paid for legal representation.

I maintain my innocence, and my lawyer says I have a chance of winning, but no promises. My whole future depends on winning the case; therefore, I find myself asking for your help by donating whatever you can.

If you don't have PayPal and still want to help or if you have any inquires about the campaign please reach me at [email protected]