| Not just concerned, deeply concerned. |
BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Union said on Friday it was deeply concerned over the recent deterioration of human rights in Syria, and called for the release of all political prisoners.
The 25-nation EU said “the situation has substantially deteriorated” in Syria, where six activists - including a leading rights lawyer - were arrested on Wednesday. Their arrests brought to nine the number of people detained this week in what was described as the largest crackdown on democracy campaigners in Syria in years. “The EU expresses its deep concern about the recent widespread harassment of human rights defenders, their families and peaceful political activists, in particular arbitrary arrests and repeated incommunicado detention,” it said in a statement.
The EU urged Syrian authorities “to reconsider all cases of political prisoners and immediately release all prisoners of conscience,” and to adhere to its own constitution, which provides for freedom of expression and assembly rights for citizens.
Human rights groups said most of the detainees were arrested for signing a petition calling for an improvement in ties with Lebanon.
| That would do it allright. |
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