Witnesses: Police arrest protesters outside Syria Interior Ministry

Mar 16, 2011, 12:09 GMT

Damascus - Several prominent activists were arrested in Syria on Wednesday as police dispersed protesters outside the Interior Ministry, where they were demanding the release of political prisoners and reforms.

Rights activists Suheir al-Atassi and Muhannad al-Hasani were among at least five people who were arrested at the protest, according to witnesses.

There had been nearly 150 people outside the ministry chanting, 'Peaceful, peaceful' - the same slogan used by Egyptian protesters during the uprising that led to former president Hosny Mubarak's ouster earlier this year.

The demonstrators also brandished posters demanding that Syria lift its emergency law and allow for greater freedoms.

Less than 30 minutes after the protesters gathered, security forces moved in and broke up the demonstration, witnesses said.

The protest came one day after activists called for a so-called 'Day of Rage' meant to emulate those in other Arab nations.

According to online activists, the protest was aimed at demanding the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad, who took over the post from his father Hafez al-Assad in 2000.

The activists said the aim was also to produce 'a mass popular movement calling for freedom in the broadest concept.'

Witnesses said the gathering was relatively small, but significant for a country where anti-government protests are rare.

While much of the Arab world continues to see thousands of people taking to the streets with calls for political change, attempted protests in Syria in recent weeks have drawn much smaller crowds.

Rights groups and activists blame the low turnout on an internet crackdown initiated by the government, including the arrests of bloggers and activists.

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