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25 'missing' Lebanese In Damascus' Jails
Damascus, 23 March (AKI) - Despite the denial by the Syrian authorities of the presence of Lebanese political prisoners in the country's jails, a Beirut daily Thursday published a list of 'desaparecidos' whose presence in Syrian prisons has been documented. The 25 Lebanese were reportedly arrested by the Syrian secret services. The daily backs up its allegations with declarations from Syrian embassies in various countries which apparently confirm the detention of the 25 citizens, as well as with documentation given to the men's families by prison authorities. The newspaper also published a photo of one of the 'missing', saying it had been taken by a Syrian prison guard in return for a bribe. The Lebanese government has handed the authorities in Damascus a list of 600 Lebanese who have 'disappeared' in the Syrian prison system. Damascus denies the existence of these inmates, except for some 80 people arrested on criminal not political offences. According to Ghazi Ad, president of the Lebanese prisoners' support committee, who follows the Syrian question, Damascus' reply was "superficial", given that half the prisoners cited by the government had been out of prison for some time. Ad went on to accuse Syria of "avoiding the issue", urging that the question be brought before the UN Security Council. The families of the missing Lebanese men have appealed to the Egyptian and Iranian presidents and to the secretary general of the Arab League to pressure Damascus for the men's release and called for an international inquiry into the prisoners' fate. Posted by: Steve 2006-03-23 |
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