Syria releases opposition members
The spokesman for the Arab Human Rights Organization said that the Syrian authorities approved the release of Muhammad al-Abdullah, the son of the detained writer Ali al-Abdullah, and Yassin al-Hamwi, father of the detained Syrian Haitham al-Hamwi.
The Syrian military court adjourned the trial of al-Abdullah and al-Hamwi until September 6, but released them.
Al-Abdullah was detained on July 27th following a meeting in the latter's house and their formation of the "society for detainees' relatives" in Darayya town near Damascus. Haitham al-Hamwi was detained in May 2003 together with ten of his colleagues who were taking part in a campaign against corruption and for street cleansing in Darayya. He was sentenced to four year imprisonment.
Writer Ali al-Abdullah was detained on May 7th after he delivered the speech of the general guide of the Muslim Brothers in Syria at the al-Atasi forum. All members of al-Atasi forum were released one week after their detention with the exception of Ali al-Abdullah whose trial will start on October 30 before the supreme state court in Damascus.
