(S/NF) KUDOS FOR "HABIB SALEH SENTENCED TO THREE

S E C R E T STATE 044199 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/30/2034 TAGS: PINR PGOV PREL SOCI SY SUBJECT: (S/NF) KUDOS FOR "HABIB SALEH SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS IN PRISON" (C-NE9-00684) REF: DAMASCUS 000210 Classified By: SUZANNE MCCORMICK, DIR., INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (S/NF) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS WHO FOLLOW SYRIAN POLITICAL ISSUES APPRECIATED DAMASCUS 000210 ON THE DETAILS OF DISSIDENT HABIB SALEH'S 15 MARCH SENTENCING BY THE DAMASCUS CRIMINAL COURT. OF PARTICULAR INTEREST WAS THE INFORMATION ON THE EU'S DELIBERATIONS ON WHETHER OR NOT TO ISSUE A STATEMENT ON THE SALEH VERDICT, WHICH ILLUMINATED EU THINKING ON SYRIAN HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES, AND THE INFORMATION REGARDING ATTENDANCE AT THE TRIAL BY OTHER CIVIL SOCIETY ACTIVISTS, WHICH PROVIDED INSIGHT INTO SYRIAN CIVIL SOCIETY DYNAMICS. ANALYSTS WOULD APPRECIATE CONTINUING TO RECEIVE ANY INFORMATION ON CIVIL SOCIETY ACTIVISTS THAT POST IS ABLE TO ACQUIRE, TIME AND RESOURCES PERMITTING. MANY THANKS, AND REGARDS FROM WASHINGTON. ¶2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-NE9-00684 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTON