SARG FREES FIVE DAMASCUS SPRING PRISONERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 000206

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/19/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SY
SUBJECT: SARG FREES FIVE DAMASCUS SPRING PRISONERS

REF: DAMASCUS 00201

Classified By: CDA Stephen Seche for reasons 1.4(b)/(d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: Human rights activists and family members
have confirmed news reports announcing the release of five of
the six Damascus Spring political prisoners, including former
MPs Riad Seif and Mamoun al-Homsi. Human rights activists
were quick to point out that the release was not an amnesty,
but instead was based on a customary rule allowing a prisoner
to be freed after serving three-quarters of his sentence. A
senior Adraa prison official told the released prisoners that
the release of Arif Dalilah, the last remaining Damascus
Spring detainee, would be forthcoming. There is no
indication that other detainees, like Habib Saleh, Kamal
Labwani, or Nizar Rastanawi, will be released soon. END
SUMMARY.


2. (C) Joumana Seif, Riad Seif,s daughter, and human rights
lawyer Anwar al-Bunni confirmed January 19 the release of
Riad Seif, Mamoun al-Homsi, Habib Issa, Fawwaz Tello, and
Walid al-Bunni. According to Bunni, Adraa prison authorities
requested on the night of January 17 that the five prisoners
sign requests that, as is custom in Syria, they be released
having served three-quarters of their sentences. Human
rights lawyers Anwar al-Bunni and Haithem al-Maleh noted to
PolOff in separate conversations that the release was not an
amnesty, but instead the SARG simply implementing its own
rules. All but Issa agreed to sign; Issa also protested that
he did not want to be released without his fellow Damascus
Spring detainee Arif Dalilah, but eventually acquiesced.
Bunni noted that the released prisoners had been promised by
Adraa Prison Director Samir Sheikh that Dalilah would be
freed within 48 hours. (NOTE: Dalilah was sentenced to a
substantially longer prison term than the others. It is not
clear what legal pretext the SARG would use--if any-- to
release him now.)


3. (C) Bunni visited all five men and said they were in good
spirits, noting that Seif would be seeking medical care for
his heart condition in France if authorities allow him to
travel abroad, while Homsi will seek medical attention
domestically. Bunni also downplayed the differences between
Seif and Homsi's statements to al-Jazeera on January 18. He
said that the contrast between Seif's aggressive statements
against the SARG, versus Homsi's nationalistic, accommodating
rhetoric, was simply a question of political style, but that
the men share similar political goals.


4. (C) Bunni went on to explain that a number of factors had
served to influence the SARG's decision: the summit of the
Union of Arab Lawyers being held the weekend of January 20-23
near Damascus; the ongoing first-ever visit of an Amnesty
International delegation to the country; and the statements
by President Bush and other USG officials calling for the
prisoners, release. Bunni also added that the SARG may have
wanted to placate civil society before the visit of Iranian
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, as at least one organization
had planned to publicly speak out against the visit.
(COMMENT: The regime also may be responding to former VP
Khaddam, making it difficult, after Seif's release, to drum
up much support in opposition circles. That would lessen
Khaddam's appeal to the international community as a
potential alternative to the regime.)

SECHE