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Syrian dissident economist freed Syrian dissident economist freed
(about 2 hours later)
Syrian dissident Aref Dalila, who was jailed nearly seven years ago, has been freed by the Syrian authorities, his lawyer and rights activists say. Syrian dissident Aref Dalila, who was jailed nearly seven years ago, has been freed by the Syrian authorities.
An economist, he was jailed in 2002 on charges of trying to corrupt the constitution, inciting armed rebellion and spreading false information.An economist, he was jailed in 2002 on charges of trying to corrupt the constitution, inciting armed rebellion and spreading false information.
Dalila, 68, had been sentenced to 10 years; one report said he may have been freed through a presidential pardon. Mr Dalila, 68, had been sentenced to 10 years; one report said he may have been freed through a presidential pardon.
He is said to have been the last jailed member of the Damascus Spring. He was said to be the last figure in jail from the Damascus Spring, a period of greater political openness in 2000.
This was a period of political dialogue that took place after the death of former President Hafez al-Assad in 2000. The Spring followed the death of long-serving Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and the succession of his son, Bashar al-Assad.
His son and Syria's current president, Bashar al-Assad, initially tolerated the discussion groups which were held in private homes, but a tough clampdown began in 2001. Bashar al-Assad initially tolerated the discussion groups that were held in private homes, but a tough clampdown began in 2001.
Mr Dalila was jailed after calling for freedom of expression and abolishing government monopolies in the economy.
He told the BBC soon after his release that his views had not changed and that he would continue to voice them. He said his release was not conditional on any pledge of silence.
Failing healthFailing health
"Aref Dalila was freed in line with a presidential pardon after having spent seven years in jail," National Organisation for Human Rights in Syria chief Ammar Qorabi told the AFP news agency."Aref Dalila was freed in line with a presidential pardon after having spent seven years in jail," National Organisation for Human Rights in Syria chief Ammar Qorabi told the AFP news agency.
In July, Mr Qorabi called on President Bashar al-Assad to grant an amnesty to Dalila "because of a deterioration in his state of health, and to turn a new page with the Syrian opposition". In July, Mr Qorabi called on President Bashar al-Assad to grant an amnesty to Mr Dalila "because of a deterioration in his state of health and to turn a new page with the Syrian opposition".
"Continuing to detain Dalila, who is sick and lacking medical care, is a flagrant violation of international laws and agreements on human rights," he said in a statement. Mohannad al-Husni, the head of the Syrian Human Rights Organisation, said he was optimistic the release of Mr Dalila could be a step towards more freedoms
"We hope that this will be the beginning of freedom for the rest of the prisoners of conscience in Syria," Dalila's lawyer, Mohannad al-Hassani, told Reuters news agency. Mr Dalila, who was a former dean of the Damascus University economics faculty in the late 1980s, was arrested in 2001 along with nine other opposition activists and jailed the following year for trying to "modify the constitution and denigrate the state".
Dalila was arrested in 2001 along with nine other opposition activists and jailed the following year for trying to "modify the constitution and denigrate the state". The BBC's Lina Sinjab in Damascus says the Syrian authorities continue to hold people for have opposing political views.
He had called for political and economic reforms, including more public freedoms and the abolition of monopolies in the single-party state. Some critics of the government, including the prominent opposition leader and former MP Riad Seif, are still in custody.