NEWSDESK

• 'Abd al-Rahman al-Shaghuri: On February 23, 2003, Syrian secret police agents arrested 'Abd al-Rahman al-Shaghuri for emailing articles copied from the Akhbar al-Sharq (Levant News) website, http://www.thisissyria.net. The government said it considered the site's content "detrimental to the reputation and security of the nation," and "full of ideas and views opposed to the system of government in Syria." His captors beat and tortured al-Shaghuri and held him incommunicado at the Palestine Branch of Military Intelligence in Damascus before moving him to the Sednaya military prison on the outskirts of the city. On June 20, 2004, the Security Court found him guilty, under the Press Law, of "publishing lies" and disseminating articles "that harmed the image and security of Syria." The court sentenced him to three years in prison and then reduced the sentence to two-and-a-half years. He was released on August 31, 2005.
• Yahya al-Ous and the Qutaish Brothers: In September 2002 two construction workers were reportedly killed while digging a tunnel in Damascus. Over the course of the following few weeks, Haytham Qutaish, his brother Muhannad, and Yahya al-Ous were arrested for sending emails to a Gulf-based newspaper about the incident. They had previously sent articles criticizing the Syrian government's economic, political, and human rights policies and government corruption. Syrian Military Intelligence held them in Sednaya prison for nearly two years before the Supreme State Security Court found the three guilty, on July 25, 2004, of "receiving secret information on behalf of a foreign state which threatens the security of Syria" and using the internet to publish "false news outside of Syria" under the terms of the Press Law. The court found the Qutaish brothers guilty of "encouraging the transfer of secret information." The court further found Haytham Qutaish guilty of "writing that threatens the security of Syria and her relations with foreign states." The court sentenced Haytham Qutaish and his brother Muhannad to four and three years in prison, respectively. They were released on November 4, 2005. Al-Ous spent two years in prison before being released.ia and her relations with foreign states." The court sentenced Haytham Qutaish and his brother Muhannad to four and three years in prison, respectively. They were released on November 4, 2005. Al-Ous spent two years in prison before being released.ia and her relations with foreign states." The court sentenced Haytham Qutaish and his brother Muhannad to four and three years in prison, respectively. They were released on November 4, 2005. Al-Ous spent two years in prison before being released.ia and her relations with foreign states." The court sentenced Haytham Qutaish and his brother Muhannad to four and three years in prison, respectively. They were released on November 4, 2005. Al-Ous spent two years in prison before being released.ia and her relations with foreign states." The court sentenced Haytham Qutaish and his brother Muhannad to four and three years in prison, respectively. They were released on November 4, 2005. Al-Ous spent two years in prison before being released.ia and her relations with foreign states." The court sentenced Haytham Qutaish and his brother Muhannad to four and three years in prison, respectively. They were released on November 4, 2005. Al-Ous spent two years in prison before being released.ia and her relations with foreign states." The court sentenced Haytham Qutaish and his brother Muhannad to four and three years in prison, respectively. They were released on November 4, 2005. Al-Ous spent two years in prison before being released.ia and her relations with foreign states." The court sentenced Haytham Qutaish and his brother Muhannad to four and three years in prison, respectively. They were released on November 4, 2005. Al-Ous spent two years in prison before being released.
• Mas'ud Hamid: On June 25, 2003, police violently dispersed a demonstration of Syrian-Kurdish children in front of the Damascus office of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Mas'ud Hamid, a Kurdish-Syrian journalism student, posted photographs of the event on several websites, including the German-based Kurdish website http://www.amude.com. One month later, on July 24, 2003, Public Security officers arrested Hamid as he was taking an exam. Witnesses told Reporters sans frontières that the manner of his arrest, in which he was handcuffed in front of a room full of students, seemed intended to intimidate the future journalists. The authorities held him in solitary confinement in 'Adra prison for one year before allowing him monthly visits from his lawyer and family. Interrogators reportedly tortured him on several occasions and beat him with a studded whip on the soles of his feet. On October 10, 2004, the Supreme State Security Court sentenced Hamid to three years in prison after finding him guilty of "membership of a secret organization" and having "attempted to annex part of Syrian territory to another country" – charges frequently leveled against detained Syrian Kurds. Hamid was released from 'Adra prison on July 24, 2006.prison after finding him guilty of "membership of a secret organization" and having "attempted to annex part of Syrian territory to another country" – charges frequently leveled against detained Syrian Kurds. Hamid was released from 'Adra prison on July 24, 2006.prison after finding him guilty of "membership of a secret organization" and having "attempted to annex part of Syrian territory to another country" – charges frequently leveled against detained Syrian Kurds. Hamid was released from 'Adra prison on July 24, 2006.prison after finding him guilty of "membership of a secret organization" and having "attempted to annex part of Syrian territory to another country" – charges frequently leveled against detained Syrian Kurds. Hamid was released from 'Adra prison on July 24, 2006.prison after finding him guilty of "membership of a secret organization" and having "attempted to annex part of Syrian territory to another country" – charges frequently leveled against detained Syrian Kurds. Hamid was released from 'Adra prison on July 24, 2006.prison after finding him guilty of "membership of a secret organization" and having "attempted to annex part of Syrian territory to another country" – charges frequently leveled against detained Syrian Kurds. Hamid was released from 'Adra prison on July 24, 2006.prison after finding him guilty of "membership of a secret organization" and having "attempted to annex part of Syrian territory to another country" – charges frequently leveled against detained Syrian Kurds. Hamid was released from 'Adra prison on July 24, 2006.prison after finding him guilty of "membership of a secret organization" and having "attempted to annex part of Syrian territory to another country" – charges frequently leveled against detained Syrian Kurds. Hamid was released from 'Adra prison on July 24, 2006.m 'Adra prison on July 24, 2006.
• Habib Salih: On May 29, 2005, Military Intelligence officers arrested Habib Salih in Tartus, approximately 100 miles (130 kilometers) north of Damascus, for posting on two websites a series of open letters addressed to the delegates attending the June 2005 Ba'ath Party Conference in which he detailed his prison experiences. In the months since his release, he had also written critical articles for the Lebanese newspaper an-Nahar and the banned website http://www.elaph.com. He was sentenced to three years on August 15, 2006 by the Tartus Criminal Court for "spreading false news that weaken the spirit of the nation." He was released on September 12, 2007.