The trial of eight prisoners of conscience (‘Ali Nizar ‘Ali, Husam ‘Ali Mulhim, Tarek Ghorani, Maher Ibrahim, Ayham Saqr, ‘Alam Fakhour, ‘Omar ‘Ali al-‘Abdullah and Diab Sirieyeh) began on 26 November, before the Supreme State Security Court (SSSC) in Damascus. Their trial is very unlikely to be fair. Each man denied the charges, and said that he had been tortured to make him confess. The trial has been adjourned until 14 January 2007. They are still held incommunicado, putting them in danger of further torture or ill-treatment.
