Freelance journalist and son freed after six months in prison

Human rights activist and freelance journalist Ali Abdallah, 52, and his son, student Mohammad Abdallah, 22, were released yesterday on completing a six-month sentence for “criticising the state of emergency laws” in effect since 1963 and “insulting the president of the state security court,” their lawyer, Khalil Maatouk, said. Ali Abdallah is an occasional contributor to the Lebanese newspapers Assafir and An-Nahar and to Al-Khalij, a newspaper based in the United Arab Emirates. -------------------------------- 21.08.2006 - Journalist and son appear before court martial after being held five months Reporters Without Borders voiced concern today about the fate of freelance journalist Ali Abdallah and his son Mohammad, who appeared before a court martial in Damascus on 14 August on charges of disturbing the peace, “disseminating false news iable to undermine the financial prestige of the state” and “insulting a high official” under articles 287 and 385 of the criminal code. The press freedom organisation called for their immediate release and said they were being held arbitrarily for exercising their right to free expression and criticism. Abdallah, who writes for such newspapers as Al-Khalij, Assafir and An-Nahar, has been detained together his son for the past five months. He was arrested on 23 March after criticising government policies in various articles including one that described the Syrian economy as “weak.” When his son contacted the Qatar-based TV news station Al-Jazeera to report the arrest, he was also detained. During their 14 August appearance in court, Abdallah and his son said they signed confessions under torture and after being subjected to violence during their initial interrogation. Their lawyer, Razan Zaitouneh, said Abdallah's arrested was carried out by plain-clothes security agents who had no warrant and refused to identify themselves. He and his son were then held for a month without their lawyers and family being told where they were or being able to communicate with them. The case was transferred to a military court after being brought first before an ordinary civilian court and then a state security high court. At an earlier hearing on 26 July, the military court decided to adjourn the case to 14 August for verification of identity. It has now been decided that the substance of the case will not be heard until 27 September. “Ali and Mohammad Abdallah have now been held for nearly five months in unacceptable conditions pending a judicial decision that keeps on being postponed,” Reporters Without Borders said. “Such violations of human rights are intolerable and we firmly condemn them.” Abdallah was previously arrested on 26 May 2005 for inviting the Muslim Brotherhood to participate in a debate held by the Atassi Forum, the only political forum tolerated in Syria. He was freed six months later, on 4 November 2005.