Journalists in prison as of December 1, 2010

Syria: 2

Ali al-Abdallah, freelance
Imprisoned: December 17, 2007

Al-Abdallah, a freelance journalist who regularly contributed to prominent Arabic-language newspapers outside Syria, was arrested in 2007 in connection with his political activism. A leader of the Damascus Declaration, a reform movement calling for democratic change in Syria, al-Abdallah was sentenced to 30 months in prison.

On June 17, 2010,his scheduled release date, a military prosecutor told al-Abdallah he would face new charges related to his prison writings, his son, Mohammad al-Abdallah, told CPJ. In September, a military judge charged al-Abdallah with harming relations with a foreign country, according to local human rights groups.

The charges stemmed from a piece al-Abdallah wrote and smuggled out of prison in August 2009, according to news reports. The article criticized Wilayat al-Faqih, a religious form of government advocated by Iranian Shiite leaders. The Syrian government is sensitive to critical writing about Iran, a close regional ally.

Tal al-Mallohi, freelance
Imprisoned: December 27, 2009

Al-Mallohi, a journalistic blogger, was detained in December after being summoned by security officials, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Two days later, security agents searched her house and confiscated her computer, Reuters reported.

The private newspaper Al-Watan, citing an unnamed security source, said in October 2010 that al-Mallohi was suspected of spying for the United States. But no formal charges had been publicly disclosed by late year.

Al-Mallohi's blog was devoted to Palestinian rights and was critical of Israeli policies. It also discussed the frustrations of Arab citizens with their governments and what she perceived to be the stagnation of the Arab world. The last posted entry was dated September 2009; it was not clear whether any subsequent posts could have been deleted.

The National Organization for Human Rights in Syria reported that al-Mallohi was arraigned before a state security court in Damascus on November 10. She was being held in solitary confinement in a Duma prison. Al-Mallohi's case has gained widespread attention in the Arab blogosphere, on social networks, and among international human rights activists.

Disclaimer: © Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.

This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.