Syrian Authorities Bar Family of Arrested MP from Visit

Published August 10th, 2001 - 02:00 GMT
Al Bawaba
Al Bawaba

The Syrian authorities have rejected an appeal by the family and colleagues of a detained Syrian MP from visiting him, according to Al Jazeera satellite channel. 

The pro-reform independent member of parliament, Mammun Al Homsi, was arrested on Thursday, two days after he went on a hunger strike to protest what he said were pressures on him, a family member said.  

Homsi, who represents a constituency in Damascus, announced a one-week hunger strike on Tuesday. He had recently called for Parliament to form a human rights commission.  

"Police forces stormed the office where my father was sleeping, told him they had a warrant for his arrest and then took him to an unknown destination," Homsi's son, Omar, told AFP. 

Al Jazeera said that the lawmaker is detained at Adra prison in Damascus.  

Homsi had said that he would continue the hunger strike for a week.  

He had told the BBC that he was protesting against the authorities' refusal to respond to his demands for political reform.  

He earlier distributed a document calling for an end to martial law in Syria, tighter controls of the security services, measures against corruption and the creation of a parliamentary commission for human rights - Albawaba.com  

 

© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)

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