{"id":539,"date":"2007-12-31T16:21:53","date_gmt":"2007-12-31T16:21:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/?p=539"},"modified":"2007-12-31T16:21:53","modified_gmt":"2007-12-31T16:21:53","slug":"ali-barazi-released-from-jail-assad-says-seven-other-seculars-to-go-free","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/ali-barazi-released-from-jail-assad-says-seven-other-seculars-to-go-free\/","title":{"rendered":"Ali Barazi Released from Jail: Assad Says Seven Other Seculars to Go Free"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

US Congressmen secure Syria pledge to free dissidents<\/a><\/p>\n

Two visiting US Congressmen announced after talks with Syrian leaders on Sunday that they had secured a pledge that jailed dissidents would be freed and said they saw scope for progress in the peace process with Israel.<\/p>\n

The upbeat note contrasted with that of US President George W. Bush earlier this month who ruled out direct talks with Damascus, saying: “My patience ran out on President (Bashar) al-Assad a long time ago.”<\/p>\n

Senator Arlen Specter, a member of Bush’s Republican Party, and Congressman Patrick Kennedy, a Democrat, held talks with both Assad and Foreign Minister Walid Muallem.<\/p>\n

Kennedy said that he had secured Assad’s undertaking that seven secular dissidents in jail for criticising the Damascus regime and its policy towards neighbouring Lebanon would all be freed.<\/p>\n

“The president said that they would be released,” Kennedy told reporters.<\/p>\n

“(He named) Akram Bunni, Walid Bunni, Jaber Shufi, Ali Abdullah, Fidaa Horani, Mohammad Yasser Aiti and Ahmed Tohmeh. The president assured me personally that they were (to be) released.”
…<\/p>\n

Syria releases activist after five-month detention<\/a>
Syrian authorities released a political activist after a five-month detention, a Syrian human rights organization said Saturday.<\/p>\n

Ali Sadek al-Barazi was released Wednesday, even though a military court had ordered his release on Nov. 11, Abdul-Karim Rihawi, head of the Syrian Human Rights League, said in a statement.
… <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

US Congressmen secure Syria pledge to free dissidents Two visiting US Congressmen announced after talks with Syrian leaders on Sunday that they had secured a pledge that jailed dissidents would be freed and said they saw scope for progress in the peace process with Israel. 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