Bush calls Syria to release political prisoners

The US President George W. Bush urged Syria on Sunday to release the prisoners of opinion, especially the opposition activist Kamal al-Labawani and other 8 prisoners.

The spokesman for the White House Scott McClellan said in a statement issued on the annual anniversary of the world human rights that "the Syrian authorities rejects the basic rights of the freedom of expression and the opinion."

McClellan added in the statement that Bush calls on the Syrian government to "immediately release and unconditionally Dr. Kamal al-Labawani and all other prisoners of opinion including Habib Saleh, Nizar Restanawi, Aref dalila, Riad Seif, Mamoun al-Homsi, Walid al-Bunnim Habib Issa and Fawaza Tello."

The Syrian authorities arrested the founder of the Democratic Liberal Coalition, Kamal al-Labawani, in Damascus on November 8th after his visit to the USA where he had attended a meeting at the White House.

The Syrian authorities accused the founder of the opposition coalition of "affiliating to a banned organization," undermining the sovereignty of the country, transferring information into ou side the country that weaken national commitment and provoking sectarianism."