THE US has harshly criticised Syria for arbitrarily arresting political opponents and today called on it to free four dissidents. The US State Department made its appeal before Syria's April parliamentary election, urging Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government to show greater respect for political freedoms. "We deplore arbitrary arrest and detention of political prisoners by the Syrian government," the State Department said, saying it was particularly concerned about activists Anwar al-Bunni and Kamal al-Labwani.
Bunni, a non-partisan campaigner for political freedoms, was dragged screaming from his home by security forces in May 2006. Labwani was jailed in November 2005 after he attended a White House meeting. The State Department said both men were being tried in criminal courts "for expressing their opinions".
"We join others in calling on the Syrian government to immediately and unconditionally release them and other prisoners of conscience including Mahmoud Issa and Michel Kilo," the State Department said. Issa, a Communist politician, and Kilo, a prominent political writer, were detained after signing a declaration that criticised Syrian policy toward Lebanon. |