Yet Another Damascus Declaration Signer Arrested

It's getting to be like Groundhog Day in Syria. Each morning, Syrians wake up to the news that another civil rights advocate has been arrested.

A prominent Syrian dissident, who the United States had urged be allowed to travel abroad for cancer treatment, has been arrested, a Syrian human rights group said Tuesday.

Riad Seif, a former member of Syria's parliament, was taken into custody Monday evening, the National Organization for Human Rights in Syria said in a statement.

The statement, e-mailed to The Associated Press, said a warrant for Seif had been issued for his participation in a December meeting of dissidents..

Seif, who has spent time in jail for criticizing President Bashar Assad's government, told the AP in December that refusing to allow him to seek treatment abroad was "like being sentenced to a slow death."

In the past year, six prominent government critics and human rights campaigners have been convicted and sentenced to up to 12 years in prison. Among them are prominent lawyer Anwar al-Bunni and one of Syria's most respected writers, Michel Kilo.

Human rights groups say Syria is holding hundreds of political prisoners and activists, some without charge or trial.

Seif is head of the secretariat of the Damascus Declaration group, made up of five small opposition groups and six political figures who say they want to build internal support for peaceful democratic change in Syria. Authorities arrested several members after it held a December meeting.

Don't miss that line: "Spent time in jail for critizing President Bashar Assad's government." Quite some standard for public discourse.

Comments

[discount cycling clothes]

He might just. Talk about an instant comment. I'm thinking you're a certain piano tuning bastard and I say that with love.

[dr dre beats headphones]

Or maybe they'll request Everyday is Like Sunday: "Come, come, nuclear bomb..."