Youth held for past year because of comments posted online

Reporters Without Borders firmly condemns the detention of Kareem Arbaji, a young business consultant, for the past 12 months because of comments he posted on the online discussion forum Akhawia (http://www.akhawia.net/). The arrest of Arabji, who is due to appear in court on 8 June, has only now been drawn to the organisation's attention. “Arbaji's arrest means that a total of three cyber-dissidents are being held in Syria,” Reporters Without Borders said. “His detention for the past year is further evidence of the government's systematic repression of online freedom. He was arrested on 7 June 2007, but that was not the first time he was summoned for questioning about his online activities. We call on the authorities to stop hounding Internet users.” Aged 31 and a graduate in accountancy from Damascus University, he was managing a business consultancy when he was arrested in the utmost secrecy on 7 June 2007. He is currently being held in a military prison in Saydnaya, north of the capital. During a hearing on 20 March, he was charged with spreading false information under article 286 of the criminal code, which punishes “any person who disseminates information considered false or exaggerated and which is liable to undermine national morale.” Two other cyber-dissidents are currently being held in Syria on the same charge. They are writer and poet Firas Saad, who was arrested in November 2006 for criticising the government on the website Al Hiwar Al Moutamaden, which means “Modern Discussion,” and blogger Tariq Biassi, 22, who was arrested in July 2007 because of an online comment very critical of the government. Participants in the Akhawia (http://www.akhawia.net/) discussion forum often criticise the authorities. The government systematically filters opposition websites and Akhawia is on its blacklist. Another 100 websites were blocked in December 2007. Under regulations that took effect in July 2007, website owners are required to keep the personal data of everyone who posts articles and comments on their sites.