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Rights group raps Syria on 2000 jailed prisoners
Only 2,000?
DAMASCUS — Syria's Human Rights Organisation has said that more than 2,000 detainees are languishing in various Syrian jails, although the hand of Syrian security forces has receded in the arbitrary arrest and detention of people in 2004, according to the 2004 annual report issued by the outlawed organisation.

"We have 1,552 names registered in a special register for Syrian prisoners at various branches of Syrian security forces," the chairman of the organisation, Haitham Al Maleh, said during a Press conference he held in his office.

The report said that "a relative improvement had been noticed in the form of a quick reference of some detainees to court for trials, although they were arrested by security forces without an arrest warrant, in addition to being denied a visit sometimes." The organisation called for fair trial for each and every detainee in an ordinary court of law and not in military tribunals and other state security courts. It also demanded the right of Syrians to form political parties and organisations and the right to organise peaceful demonstrations.

The organisation recommended the "closure of the dossier of all missing persons and those denied citizenship," in reference to Syrian Kurds. It also recommended the immediate release of all political detainees and a pony cancellation of the state of emergency.
Posted by: Steve White 2005-04-14
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=61410