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    January 05, 2012

Syria Releases Prisoners

   VOA News

   Syria says it has released more than 500 people imprisoned for their
   role in anti-government protests, but an opposition group accused the
   regime of torturing and killing an even larger number of jailed people
   since uprisings began in March.
   [1]Syrian state television said Thursday that those released had not
   taken part in what it called the killing of Syrians - a reference to
   the protest movement against the government of President Bashar
   al-Assad.
   At the same time, however, the activist group Avaaz accused the Assad
   government of murderous tactics and torture: specifically, the killing
   of 617 people in overcrowded jails and illegal detention centers since
   the Syrian government began its crackdown on protests.
   The London-based group says its count shows nearly 7,000 people have
   been killed in the Syrian uprising, compared to a U.N.-compiled toll of
   5,000 dead. It challenged Arab League investigators to expose the
   regime's "torture chambers" and bring an end to harsh treatment of
   protesters.
   Separately, other activist groups said at least four people were killed
   Thursday during clashes between protesters and Syrian forces in the
   eastern Deir Ezzor region.
   Avaaz, a global activist group that operates primarily online
   ([2]www.avaaz.org), says it is dedicated to bringing "people-powered"
   movements to prominence and to encourage democratic governments. It
   contends it verified the fate of every victim on its list through
   multiple independent sources.
   Earlier this week, Arab League Secretary-General Nabil El Araby said
   the league's team in Syria had secured the released of about 3,500
   prisoners. However, the head of the British-based Syrian Observatory
   for Human Rights said his contacts have not seen any detainees
   released.
   Opposition groups in Syria have sharply criticized the Arab League
   observer mission, saying its inaction has allowed Assad to continue his
   forces' crackdown against protesters.
   Arab League observers are in their second week of measuring Syria's
   pledge to curtail the crackdown against protesters.
   On Thursday, Qatar's prime minister conceded the Arab League mission
   has made some mistakes in Syria. The league's ministers are due to meet
   Saturday in Cairo to review the project.
   Syria says it is fighting militants directed from abroad that have
   killed at least 2,000 of Assad's forces during the uprising.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
   Join the conversation on our social journalism site - [3]Middle East
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References

   1. http://www.youtube.com/syriantvofficial
   2. http://www.avaaz.org/en/
   3. http://middleeastvoices.com/
   4. http://twitter.com/VOAMiddleEast
   5. http://www.facebook.com/pages/VOAMiddleEastVoices/124360240958667?%20%20%20%20v=wall

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