Syria arrests women, opposition figures-rights groups

Sat Apr 30, 2011

(Reuters) - Syrian security forces on Saturday arrested two veteran opposition figures and a group of female protesters as part of a crackdown on pro-democracy campaigners, rights groups said.

The reports came as the Syrian human rights organization Sawasiah said security forces had killed at least 560 civilians since protests started just over six week ago.

Security agents detained Hassan Abdel Azim, 81, in Damascus, and Omar Qashash, 85, in Aleppo, said the Syrian Center for the Defense of Prisoners of Conscious.

Other rights campaigners said security forces arrested 11 women who marched in a silent all-women demonstration in the Salhyia district of Damascus on Saturday.

The march was in support of residents of the city of Deraa, where President Bashar al-Assad has sent tanks to crush an uprising against his rule. (Reporting by Khaled Yacoub Oweis; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

Source: Reuters.
Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/30/syria-arrests-urgent-idUSLDE73T0AU20110430.