SYRIA: DISSIDENTS' LEADER DANIEL SAUD ARRESTED IN BANIYAS

Daniel Saud, leader of the Human Rights Committee, was arrested Friday night from his home in Baniyas, Syria. He was arrested despite the decree through which Syrian president Bashar al Assad put an end last Thursday, to a state of emergency that lasted for 50 years.

Saud's arrest - his lawyer (Khalil Maatouk) said - "means the security services are still operating". Maatouk is referring to the notorious Syrian intelligence, Mukabarat.
If the thought of "Security Forces" summons images in your mind of Hollywood movies where 'spies' or 'detainees' are lightly questioned and treated well and then released, think again! According to former detainee all Mukabarat branches have underground cells and torture chambers.

Overnight in Damascus on Sunday Syrian security forces have raided activists' homes and made arrests. On Saturday, security forces fired on protesters who had gathered at the funerals of those who were killed on Friday. Three people were killed in the Barzah neighbourhood of Damascus during a funeral, four mourners were killed during a funeral in Douma and reports indicate six people were killed in Izraa. The crackdown continues.

Bahrain: A Woman On A Mission

Zaynab Alkhawaja is the daughter of Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, a prominent Bahraini human rights activist who was arrested and beaten in his home by Bahraini police earlier this month. Her husband, brother-in-law and uncle were also arrested. They were arrested for participating in peaceful protests against the Bahraini regime of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. She said she will refuse food until the 4 men are released. She is the 27 year old mother of a one year old baby girl. 

Mrs. al-Khawaja’s mother, Khadija al-Mousawi, on Wednesday wrote a blog entry on behalf of her daughter. “(Zainab) would like to tell everyone that we got news about her father, her husband Wafi Al-Majed, and her brother-in-law Hussein Ahmed as the Ministry of Interior contacted us and asked that we take clothes for them,” she said.
Bahrain authorities have denied allegations of ill treatment made by activists. It is beyond comprehension how these Middle Eastern regime leaders can continuously proclaim that no one is mistreated or tortured (they often even die while in custody) when the pictures are broadcast worldwide and the videos of their aftermath inundate the internet and media. Read More...