Journalist Nabil Fayad freed after being held for 33 days without charge

The release of Syrian journalist and writer Nabil Fayad on 3 November after being held for 33 days in prison without charge was welcomed today by Reporters Without Borders, which had written to President Bashar al-Assad on 8 October calling for the release of Fayad and fellow journalist and writer Jihad Nasra, who was released a few days after being detained. Fayad said he still did not know why he was arrested but he suspected it was linked to the creation of the online political discussion forum Liberal Syria (www.liberalsyria.com) and his articles about corruption. He said he was concerned for his safety after being threatened by Islamists. The authorities have withdrawn the police protection he was given four years ago. Fayad's articles are nowadays published in the Lebanese press, which serves as an outlet for many Syrian journalists. Nasra writes for the Levant News (www.thisissyria.net), a news website dedicated to Syria. He was also a co-founder of Liberal Syria, with Fayad. He was arrested on October 1st. -------------------------------- 08.10.2004 Reporters Without Borders raps lack of freedom of the press and expression and urges president to free three journalists Reporters Without Borders has called on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to immediately release three journalists, two recently arrested and one who has been imprisoned for more than one year In a 8 October 2004 letter to the head of state, the organisation urges the release of Nabil Fayad, who was arrested on 30 September, of Jihad Nasra, arrested on 1st October and Massud Hamid, held for over a year. Ahead of Hamid's trial before the Supreme State Court set for 10 October, the organisation called for charges against him to be dropped. "We strongly condemn the unfair arrests of Nabil Fayad and Jihad Nasra, apparently for their liberal stance. Our concern is all the greater since we do not known what the charges are against the two journalists or where they are being detained. "We call for their immediate release unless the Syrian authorities can provide solid evidence of their guilt," said Reporters Without Borders. As for the young Kurdish photographer Massud Hamid, we demand that charges against him be dropped. The Syrian government cannot go on stifling free expression, particularly on the Internet, with impunity and in flagrant violation of international treaties it has signed." Journalist and writer Nabil Fayad, contributes to the website of the political review Annaqed (www.annaqed.com) and Kuwaiti daily al-Seyassah. He is also one of the founders of Liberal Syria (www.liberalsyria.com), a new liberal online discussion forum. In his articles Fayad has criticised religious obscurantism and the growth of Muslim fundamentalism in Syria. He had already been summoned several times by the intelligence services because of them. His editorials constitute rallying calls for democracy and free expression and several of his works have been censored in Syria as well as in other Arab countries. Jihad Nasra, also a journalist and writer, contributes to the Syria news site Levant news (www.thisissyria.net). Like Fayad, he is also one of the founders of Liberal Syria. Journalism student and member of Syria's Kurdish minority, Massud Hamid, 29, was imprisoned on 24 July 2003, a month after taking photographs of a peaceful Kurdish demonstration in Damascus. He is officially accused of membership of an "illegal organisation". His trial was adjourned in July to 10 October.