(Zaman Al Wasl)- As prisoners of Hama jail continue their revolt for the second day, demanding fellow inmates release, the regime forces has only agreed to free 25 political prisoners out of 200, source told Zaman al-Wasl Tuesday.
The regime troops keep surrounding the prison on Monday and fired tear gas after inmates revolted, seizing several guards, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
The inmates were protesting against the planned transfer of a number of prisoners from Hama to Sednaya military prison north of Damascus.
Activists voiced concern over a massacre may commit against the prisoners, asking Red Crescent to intervene.
An insurgent group operating near Hama, located 210 km (130 miles) from Damascus, said it was ready to shell government militias in towns nearby in response to mistreatment of the inmates, who it said were demanding "basic rights" including trial, the British-based Observatory reported.
The Ajnad al-Sham group said prisoners had urged the armed opposition to "break the siege" by government forces.
An interior ministry official denied "reports from some media about Hama central prison", state news agency SANA said, without elaborating.
In August last year hundreds of inmates at the prison rioted in protest against conditions and harsh sentences.
International rights groups say thousands of detainees are held in Syrian government prisons without charge and many of them are subjected to torture, a claim denied by the authorities.
The Syrian conflict began in 2011 with popular protests against President Bashar al-Assad and spiraled into civil war after a crackdown by security forces. (With Reuters)
The regime troops keep surrounding the prison on Monday and fired tear gas after inmates revolted, seizing several guards, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
The inmates were protesting against the planned transfer of a number of prisoners from Hama to Sednaya military prison north of Damascus.
Activists voiced concern over a massacre may commit against the prisoners, asking Red Crescent to intervene.
An insurgent group operating near Hama, located 210 km (130 miles) from Damascus, said it was ready to shell government militias in towns nearby in response to mistreatment of the inmates, who it said were demanding "basic rights" including trial, the British-based Observatory reported.
The Ajnad al-Sham group said prisoners had urged the armed opposition to "break the siege" by government forces.
An interior ministry official denied "reports from some media about Hama central prison", state news agency SANA said, without elaborating.
In August last year hundreds of inmates at the prison rioted in protest against conditions and harsh sentences.
International rights groups say thousands of detainees are held in Syrian government prisons without charge and many of them are subjected to torture, a claim denied by the authorities.
The Syrian conflict began in 2011 with popular protests against President Bashar al-Assad and spiraled into civil war after a crackdown by security forces. (With Reuters)
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