THE JERUSALEM POST: Human rights group calls for political prisoners to be released after 30 are arrested at peaceful protests in Damascus and Aleppo.
BEIRUT - Human rights group Amnesty International condemned a violent crackdown by Syrian security forces against a peaceful protest held in Damascus by people calling for the release of political prisoners.
Wednesday's silent protest in which about 150 people had raised pictures of their missing friends and relatives had barely started before plainclothes security forces charged the demonstrators with batons and beat them.
Witnesses told the rights group at least 30 people were arrested, some of whom included family members of political prisoners and human rights activists, and taken to unknown locations. They said security forces beat children, women and the elderly.
"The Syrian authorities must immediately release all those arrested in the last two days for merely attending peaceful protests, and stop these attacks on freedom of expression and assembly," said Philip Luther, Amnesty International's deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa. » | Reuters | Thursday, March 17, 2011
