The Syrian Human Rights Committee (SHRC) has come to know that the anaesthetics doctor Jihad Qabaqeebo (50 years) was released on Monday morning 17/9/2007, and has arrived at his home in Homs. He was arrested at the end of December 2006 upon officially returning to Syria after spending 26 years in exile due to being wanted by the Syrian Authorities, similar to the fate of thousands of Syrian citizens following the painful events of the 1980s. He was however, immediately arrested upon his arrival to Damascus Airport.

SHRC calls upon the Syrian Authorities to immediately release all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Syrian prisons. SHRC also requests that those in exile be allowed to return to their country, and for the record of arrests due to views or opinions expressed to be closed and discarded completely.

Syrian Human Rights Committee

17/9/2007