Apr 10, 2007, 11:03 GMT
Damascus - The trial of human rights activist Kamal Labwani was postponed Tueday till May 10, the National Organization for Human Rights in Syria (NOHR) said.
The NOHR said in a statement that the prosecution upheld the same previous charges raised against Labwani, who was arrested in November 2005 at Damascus airport upon his arrival from the United States where he was allegedly met with members of Syrian opposition.
Charged with contacting a foreign country to instigate it to launch aggression against Syria, Labwani could face life imprisonment at hard labor. He also is charged with spreading false information, which carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison.
Labwani's defense attorney said the trial was postponed due to a change in judges, noting that the final verdict would be pronounced during the next session.
Representatives from the United States and European Union attended the trial.
Labwani, a physician, was arrested in 2001 in a government clampdown on so-called political 'salons' - political gatherings held in private homes during which Syrian intellectuals discussed democratic reforms in Syria.
He was sentenced to three years in prison on charges that include inciting rebellion, spreading false information and weakening national unity.
He was released in September 2004 to launch two months later a campaign to gear up support for his call for the release of political prisoners in Syria.
In December 2006, US President George W Bush urged Syria to release Labwani and four other political prisoners.
Upon succeeding his father in 2000, President Bashar Assad had initially released hundreds of political prisoners, but authorities have increasingly clamped-down on pro-democracy activists in recent years.
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NoharnessApr 10th, 2007 - 11:46:12
Urged? He 'urged' Assad to release this guy? Ooh, I'll bet that improved things for Labwani.
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