Syrian protestors cry Freedom, Freedom!

From the Tharwa Project we learn of a small protest in Syria. Didn’t catch it on the MSM, they must be too busy following the Michael Jackson trial.

DAMASCUS: Chanting "freedom, freedom," about 200 Syrians protested on Sunday outside a Damascus state security court where a prominent human rights campaigner accused of opposing the state was on trial.

The area was sealed off by about 50 riot police as demonstrators, including many Kurds, carried posters of the defendants and banners denouncing the emergency law in force in Syria since the Baath Party took power in 1963.

Among three activists on trial Sunday was prominent campaigner Aktham Naisse, who faces between three years and life in jail if convicted on charges of activities against the state.

Naisse, who heads the Committee for the Defense of Democratic Liberties and Human Rights in Syria, was detained in April 2004 after he organized a rare demonstration calling for the lifting of the emergency laws.

He was freed on bail after five months in detention.

Human rights groups have repeatedly called for the release of detainees, as well as the scrapping of the security court and the emergency law.

I realize this isn’t exactly local news but these protests that are happening in Syria and Iran are important and need to be seen and supported.