Journalist Ali Abdallah freed after nearly six months in detention

Reporters Without Borders today welcomed the release on 2 November of journalist Ali Abdallah, a member of the only political forum tolerated in Syria, who had been detained for nearly six months. Abdallah was arrested on 15 May after an Atassi Forum meeting at which he read out a letter from Ali Sadr Al Din Bayanouni, the head of the Syrian branch of the Moslem Brotherhood, who is currently in exile in London. The forum, which is closely watched by the authorities, has men and women members who aim, especially through their work for leading Arab news media, to encourage dialogue among Syria's political parties and civil society with the aim of promoting reform. Ali Abdallah writes for several Arab newspapers, including the Lebanese daily Al Nahar and Akhbar Al Arab in the United Arab Emirates. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 02.06.2005 Authorities free one of the two detained Salon Atassi journalists Reporters Without Borders today hailed the release of Hussein Al Aoudat and seven other members of the Salon Atassi political debating forum on 30 May, after six days in detention, and urged the authorities to go ahead and also free journalist Ali Abdallah, who has been held since 16 May. Another journalist and political activist, Habib Saleh, was meanwhile arrested on 29 May in Tartus, 130 km north of Damascus. He heads the Tartus Forum for National Democratic Dialogue and often writes for daily newspapers such as An-Nahar (The Day) and websites such as Elaph (www.elaph.com). -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 26.05.05 - Arrest of two journalist human rights activists Reporters Without Borders strongly condemned the arrests of journalists Ali Abdallah and Hussein al Audat, on 15 and 23 May 2005 in Damascus after they were involved in a debate on democratic change in Syria. "Censorship, summonses, questioning and arbitrary arrests are the daily lot of human rights activists and journalists in particular," said the worldwide press freedom organisation. "The arrest of these two journalists reminds us that it is never possible in Syria to express opinions outside those laid down by the ruling Baath party." "Moreover Ali Abdallah and Hussein al Audat should be immediately released, since they have not been formally charged," it added. On 7 May, the Atassi Forum, the sole political discussion group allowed in Syria, of which the journalists are members, organised a debate on the theme of democratic change in the country. All political tendencies had been invited to take part. Those who could not attend sent letters that were read out at the meeting. Ali Abdallah (journalist), Hussein al Audat (journalist), Soheir al-Atassi (president of the forum), Nahed Badawiyah (engineer), Hazem Al-Nahar (doctor), Jihad Massuti (engineer), Mohammad Mahfuz (engineer), Abdelnasser Kalhous (employee) and Yussef Jahmani (publisher) were all arrested for inviting the Moslem Brotherhood (banned in Syria) to take part in the debate. Ali Abdallah was arrested first, on 15 May, for having read out a letter sent by Ali Sadr al Din Bayanouni, head of the Moslem Brotherhood in Syria, currently in exile in London. Other members of the forum, including Hussein al Audat, went to the authorities to explain their actions and in what circumstances the letter had been made public. A few days later they too were arrested in their homes at dawn and taken to the offices of political security. The nine human rights activists have apparently been accused of spreading the ideas of the Moslem Brotherhood. The Atassi Forum, which is closely watched by the authorities, has men and women members who aim, mainly via their work with major Arabic media, to build dialogue between the country's different political parties and civil society to achieve reform in the country. Ali Abdallah contributes to several Arabic newspapers, including the Lebanese daily al Nahar. Hussein Al Audat, veteran among independent Syrian journalists, founded the national news agency SANA which he headed for four years. He also works for several Arabic dailies including Akhbar al Arab in the United Arab Emirates.