In its second trial session this year, the Supreme State Security Court has issued sentences on four political detainees on 10/2/2008. The sentences are as follows:
-Hossam Ara'oor was sentenced to six years in prison, charged with membership to a secret organisation that aims to change the economic and social structure of the state.
-Nizar Hussein was sentenced to five years in prison, charged with membership to a secret organisation that aims to change the economic and social structure of the state.
- Maher Othman and Safwan Ibrahim were sentenced to two years in prison, charged with fuelling sectarian conflict.
The Syrian Human Rights Committee (SHRC) considers the long periods of arbitrary detentions and the harsh laws of the above sentences as having no basis in the law, demonstrating the intense oppression being directed to citizens due to their peaceful articulation of their views, a right guaranteed by both the Syrian Constitution and the International Declaration of Human Rights. SHRC also considers the increasing repression and escalating human rights violations as an intentional method of the regime to stop citizens from asking for their rights and putting them into practise effectively.
 SHRC calls upon the Syrian Authorities to release detainees who have been detained due to their peaceful expression of their views and beliefs, as well as to shut down the SSSC and put an end to all arbitrary and oppressive arrests.

Syrian Human Rights Committee
10/2/2008