Human Rights Voices

While the UN devotes its human rights operations to the demonization of the democratic state of Israel above all others and condemns the United States more often than the vast majority of non-democracies around the world, the voices of real victims around the world must be heard.

Syria, March 5, 2007

Syria again postpones trial of Michel Kilo, a dissident writer held for 10 months

"Syria on Monday again delayed the trial of a prominent dissident writer who has spent 10 months in detention, a Syrian human rights group said...

Kilo has long been an outspoken critic of the Syrian government, which tightly controls national politics and often arrests its critics. He has called for reform and has criticized the government's involvement in its smaller neighbor, Lebanon. He was arrested last May after signing a petition that called on Syria to improve relations with Lebanon, which deteriorated after the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005...

A court ordered Kilo's release on bail in October. His family paid the bail, but prosecutors brought new charges against him and he remained in prison.

His trial began on Oct. 31, but was promptly postponed and has been delayed several times subsequently. Kilo appeared at Monday's court session, but the session was postponed upon orders of the attorney general for reasons that were not clear."