After a sit-in in front of the Syndicate of Engineers on Thursday at noon with participation of many social, political, and union figures as well as patriotic intellectuals and students from Sweida; Security forces closed the headquarters of the engineers syndicate and all the entrances that lead to it since 9 AM. This has prevented participants from reaching the syndicate building, which forced them to hold the sit-in outside.
During chanting the Syrian national anthem a group of Shabiha (thugs) who were supported by security forces and riot police agents started assaulting the people in the sit-in and hit them using electrical batons, wooden batons, clubs and sharp knives.
The participants in the sit-in were estimated at hundreds. Security forces arrested tens of them after insulting them and beating them severely. A few of the detainees are: Dr. Sami Alhalabi , Eng. Ghazi Aljari, Arch. Jaber Muhanna, Eng. Adel Abouzein, Sakher Fayad, Jamal Khuddaj, Rabee Khuddaj, Nour Khaddaj, Firas Kabul, Murhaf Alkhateeb, Lawyer Mouayad Dowara, Akram Maarouf, Yousef Alhakim, Abdullah Alhakim, poet Fouad Kuhl, Lutfi Hennawi, Shadi Alsalman, and many more whose names are yet unknown.
We condemn these barbaric actions against those who are protesting the shedding Syrian blood and who demanded removing the siege from Syrian cities. We demand the release all detainees from this sit-in and all the prisoners of opinion in Syria
11 Aug 2011
Municipality committee in Sweida