Brussels, 18/09/2008 (Agence Europe) - The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (REMDH), Human Rights Watch (HRW), the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Human Rights First have expressed their “deep concern” at the arbitrary detention and unfair trial in Syria of 12 members of the Damascus Declaration National Council for National Democratic Change (CNDD). The CNDD is an opposition, pro-democracy movement, founded n 2007, which brings together over160 Syrian political activists, human rights workers intellectuals and artists.
The above human rights organisations have called on the EU institutions to express their strong disapproval and to make all further progress in relations with Syria, and in particular the coming into force of the association agreement concluded on 17 December 2004, conditional on real and lasting improvements in the human rights situation and concrete and measurable commitment on democratic rights. The EU is called on to provide direct support for Syrian human rights activists. (F.B./transl.rt)