An international peace delegation led by Irish Nobel peace laureate Mired Maguire met with Syrian Justice Minister Najm Al-Ahmad on 9 May to push ahead with efforts toward national reconciliation in Syria.
Maguire gave the minister a list of names of 72 peaceful activists detained by the Syrian regime, asking for their release.
The government had initially agreed to the activists' release, the minister said, and, after a review of their cases was complete, he told the delegation the activists will be released on 20 May. However, he said, some would face trial before release.
The Syrian Non-Violence Movement said they appreciated the national reconciliation efforts and the peace delegation, thanking the group for pursuing the activists' cases and handing over the list.
The list contains the names of some of the most prominent political prisoners, among them human rights activist Khalil Maatouk (see phto), activist and journalist Mazen Darwish, communist leader Abdul Aziz al-Khayer, Tal al-Mallouhi, Anas al-Shughri and Yahya al- Sharbaji.
......
