SYRIA: Women in As-Suwayda protest in front of government building demanding release of detainees

AS-SUWAYDA, Syria – A group of women protested in front of a government building in As-Suwayda, Syria on Monday demanding the release of detainees arrested in the recent demonstrations calling for Assad to step down because of economic mismanagement.

Several prominent activists were arrested during the recent demonstrations including Rawad Sadiq, Nawras Abu Zainaldin, Ihsan Nofal, Raed al-Khatib, and Nasser Azzam.

The protests began when news became public that detainees had been transferred to Daramsuq (Damascus) for trial. Lawyer Muhannad Baraka stated that the detainees were arrested in As-Suwayda and were being detained in the Central Prison in As-Suwayda. According to the law, they may not be transferred to Daramsuq before the completion of their interrogation. No lawyers have been appointed to defend them, Baraka said.

Lawyer Ayman Sheib posted on Facebook that there is no law that allows detainees to be transferred to the Damascus Terrorism Court.

As-Suwayda has witnessed several demonstrations protesting against the difficult living situation and the government’s inability to manage the economy as the Syrian Pound continue to devalue against the U.S. Dollar with no intervention forthcoming from the Syrian government.