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The Syrian government
continues to violate the right of expression of the Syrian
citizens. On October 29, 2008, Syrian judge Muhyee Adeen Alhalak,
the head of the First Criminal Syrian Court, sentenced Damascus
Declaration detainees to 6 years in prison under trumped up and
almost laughable charges. The court sentenced each detainee to
three year prison terms for “weakening the moral of the nation”
and another three years for “spreading false rumors.” Under
Syrian law, the two sentences were merged together, and then the
court further reduced the sentence to one 2.5 year prison term
for each detainee. The sentences are subject to appeal in higher
court.
Although not
politically upheld, the Syrian Constitution guarantees the right
of expression under articles (25-28-38). The Damascus Center for
Theoretical and Civil Rights Studies (DCTCRS) calls for the
immediate release of Damascus Declaration detainees and all
political prisoners in Syria.
Damascus Center for
Theoretical and Civil Rights Studies
October 30, 2008
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