Syria sentences 12 for political crimes
SYRIA: A Syrian court sentenced 12 dissidents to 2-1/2 years each in
prison on Wednesday for political crimes after they had called for
democratic reforms.
The 11 men and a woman were arrested after holding a meeting to
revive a movement calling for freedom of expression and a democratic
constitution in Syria, which has been ruled by the Baath party for four
decades.
The charges included "weakening national morale".
Among the convicted was prominent dissident Riad Seif, who is sick
with cancer. The case has drawn criticism from human rights groups and
Western governments, including the United States.
U.S. President George W. Bush called for Seif's release in a speech
in July.
The sentences were likely to put more strain on Syrian-U.S. ties
which were damaged this week by a U.S. military raid on the Syrian side
of the border with Iraq.
Syria says the raid killed eight civilians while a U.S. official said
it was believed to have killed a smuggler of foreign fighters into Iraq.
DAMASCUS, Wednesday, Reuters |