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24 January 2006

Bush Welcomes Release of Syrian Political Prisoners

President calls on Syria to stop harassing democracy activists

President Bush has welcomed Syria’s recent release of five opposition activists imprisoned since 2001 and called for the release all remaining political prisoners in Syria.

In a January 24 statement, White House press secretary Scott McClellan said the president joins the friends and family of Riyad Seif, Mamun al-Homsi, Walid al-Bunni, Habib Issa and Fawaz Tello “in celebrating their freedom and saluting their courage.”

Bush called on the Syrian regime to release Kamal Labwani, Habib Saleh, Nizar Rastanawi and Arif Dalilah as well.

“The Syrian regime continues to deny these prisoners the fundamental rights of freedom of opinion and expression in an ongoing attempt to intimidate any who would oppose it,” the statement says.

The statement condemns the regime for its repression of those who seek peaceful democratic reform of Syria’s autocratic government.  “The United States stands with the people of Syria in their desire for freedom and democracy,” the statement says.

Following is the text of the statement:

(begin text)

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
January 24, 2006

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

Statement on a Call for the Release of Remaining Prisoners of Conscience in Syria

Syrian authorities recently released five opposition activists arbitrarily detained in 2001 following the "Damascus Spring."  The President joins the families and friends of these men -- Riyad Seif, Mamun al-Homsi, Walid al-Bunni, Habib Issa, and Fawaz Tello -- in celebrating their freedom and saluting their courage.  The President has deep concern, however, that many political prisoners remain jailed in Syria.  The United States calls upon the Syrian authorities to release immediately all remaining Syrian prisoners of conscience, including Dr. Kamal Labwani, Habib Saleh, Nizar Rastanawi, and the final remaining Damascus Spring detainee Arif Dalilah.  The Syrian regime continues to deny these prisoners the fundamental rights of freedom of opinion and expression in an ongoing attempt to intimidate any who would oppose it.

The Syrian regime continues to respond to the Syrian people's legitimate calls for change with harsh repression.  The United States calls upon the Syrian Government to cease its harassment of Syrians who peacefully seek to bring democratic reform to their country.  The United States stands with the people of Syria in their desire for freedom and democracy.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)