PROMINENT OPPOSITION AND CIVIL SOCIETY FIGURES

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 001358

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SY
SUBJECT: PROMINENT OPPOSITION AND CIVIL SOCIETY FIGURES
ARRESTED THROUGHOUT SYRIA

REF: DAMASCUS 001219

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Stephen A. Seche for reasons 1.4(b)/(d
)


1. (C) SUMMARY: SARG authorities have arrested or detained
a number of prominent Syrian opposition and civil society
figures within the last few days. Prominent activist and
former political detainee Ali Abudullah, together with his
eldest son Mohammed, were arrested on March 23 by
unidentified intelligence agents, a week after another son,
Omar, was detained. Aleppo-based Syrian Free National Party
founder and Damascus Declaration signatory Samir Nashar was
arrested by Syrian Military Intelligence on March 25. Other
prominent activists, including human rights activist Nejati
Tayara and Damascus Declaration signatory Fida Akram
al-Hourani, were also detained last week but were
subsequently released. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) FATHER AND SON ACTIVISTS ARRESTED BY UNIDENTIFIED
SECURITY AGENTS: SARG authorities arrested journalist Ali
Abdullah in the early hours of March 23 at his home. They
arrested his son, Mohammed, later in the day. According to
human rights activist Rezan Zeituneh, a close friend of the
Abdullah family, the arresting security officers refused to
identify their security branch affiliation, leaving family
members and activists with no information of the father's and
son's whereabouts. Abdullah, who was imprisoned for six
months by SARG authorities in 2005 after reading a letter
from Muslim Brotherhood chief Ali Sadreddin Bayanouni at an
April Atassi Forum meeting, has figured prominently in
several recent human rights demonstrations. Mohammed has
also been active in Syrian civil society and was arrested and
convicted of defaming the homeland in September 2005 after
launching a support group for political prisoners' families.
A second son, Omar, has been detained since March 18, by
Syrian Air Force Intelligence (reftel),for his association
with a group of student activists.


3. (C) DAMASCUS DECLARATION SIGNATORY ARRESTED: Meanwhile,
Aleppo-based Syrian Free National Party founder and Damascus
Declaration signatory Samir Nashar was arrested by Syrian
Military Intelligence (SMI) agents on March 25. Nashar had
recently faced security questioning about his participation
in the Syrian National Congress meeting in Washington, DC,
and was prevented from traveling abroad in February. He was
also recently quoted on the popular website syriacomment.com,
in which he called the recent meeting between former Vice
President Abdulhalim Khaddam and Bayanouni a "political
necessity to build a political framework that is an
alternative to the regime."


4. (C) OTHER ACTIVISTS ALSO ARRESTED, DETAINED: Other
prominent activists were also detained and later released by
SARG authorities throughout the week. Human rights activist
Nejati Tayyara, who was also detained in mid-February,
disappeared on March 22 and was released by the General
Intelligence Directorate (GID) on March 25. Fida Akram
al-Hourani, a Damascus Declaration signatory and daughter of
Ba'th party co-founder Akram al-Hourani, was detained for
questioning by GID chief Ali Mamluk on March 23 for five
hours. Key opposition figure Riad Seif was also interrogated
on March 23, during which time he was told not to speak to
the press for the next two months (see septel). Bunni noted
that other key opposition figures like Damascus Declaration
spokesman and opposition politician Hassan Abdulazeem,
journalist Michel Kilo, and other dissidents had been
interrogated by GID in recent days and had been "pushed
hard."


5. (C) ACTIVISTS ATTRIBUTE CRACKDOWN TO BRAMMERTZ REPORT,
SHIFTING SARG FOCUS: When asked to explain the reasons for
the latest crackdown, activists gave a variety of reasons.
Seif told Poloff the regime is nervous about the
Brammertz/UNIIIC investigation (septel) and is lashing out at
any perceived threats. Bunni also cited regime nerves about
the newly announced National Salvation Front the unexpected
lack of support from other Arab governments, particularly
Egypt, as well as the Brammertz report, which he said may be
"laying a trap" for the SARG.
SECHE