All4Syria has learned from a number of lawyers who attended the Lawyers Union conference, which was held Damascus on 31 March that there was a conspicuous absence of a large number of lawyers, especially opposition lawyers at the meeting.
Most of the conference attendees were supporters of the regime, the sources said
Nonetheless, many issues that concern the lawyers were raised at the conference, they said, especially the failure of the Union to defend the lawyers detained or killed under torture, as was the case of Burhan As-Saqal, who was killed under torture at the Palestine Security Branch early last year, as well as Maan Ghonaimi, who was killed a month ago.
There are still dozens of lawyers languishing in the cells of the intelligence branches, including Mohamed Essam Zaghloul, Samer Idriss, Samer Baker, Khalil Matouk and others.
Conference discussions focused on the concerns of lawyers and their living conditions. The political propositions that were the center of previous conferences were not raised at the latest conference.
A number of lawyers attributed the absent of opposition lawyers from the conference to the arrest of a large number, the death of some and the fact that many others had left the country. Many were dismissed from the union, and the rest feared to attend the conference out of fear the supporters may attack them and incite their arrest.
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
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