#1 Syria unrest: New protests erupt across country
Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 9:15 pm
BBC
[quote]The BBC's Lina Sinjab reports from Syria as video purporting to show protests emerges
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Syria Crisis
Assad speech offers little new
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New anti-government protests have erupted in several Syrian cities after Friday prayers, despite heavy security.
Witnesses said thousands of people took to the streets chanting "freedom". The state news agency said protesters were calling for reforms to be speeded up.
Reports suggest four protesters died as security forces opened fire in the Damascus suburb of Duma.
Activists had dubbed Friday a Day of Martyrs to honour the dozens of people killed during two weeks of protests.
President Bashar al-Assad said earlier this week that demonstrations were part of a foreign "plot".
In a speech on Wednesday, Mr Assad did not announce the lifting of emergency legislation as some analysts had predicted.
However, the president later said he had directed a legal committee to look into lifting unpopular emergency laws - in place since 1963.
Backing for Mr Assad's regime has also been in evidence, with huge crowds joining officially encouraged shows of support for the regime in Damascus on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the US said two Americans detained in Syria for several days had been released. State department spokesman Mark Toner confirmed the news but could add no more details due to "privacy considerations".
'Snipers on rooftops'
On Friday, protesters took to the streets in Deraa, Qamishli, Hassakeh and also Latakia, witnesses said.
Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote
The one who kills his people is a traitorâ€
[quote]The BBC's Lina Sinjab reports from Syria as video purporting to show protests emerges
Continue reading the main story
Syria Crisis
Assad speech offers little new
Views: Can regime bottle genie?
Press roundup: Is Syria different?
Syria's long history of dissent
New anti-government protests have erupted in several Syrian cities after Friday prayers, despite heavy security.
Witnesses said thousands of people took to the streets chanting "freedom". The state news agency said protesters were calling for reforms to be speeded up.
Reports suggest four protesters died as security forces opened fire in the Damascus suburb of Duma.
Activists had dubbed Friday a Day of Martyrs to honour the dozens of people killed during two weeks of protests.
President Bashar al-Assad said earlier this week that demonstrations were part of a foreign "plot".
In a speech on Wednesday, Mr Assad did not announce the lifting of emergency legislation as some analysts had predicted.
However, the president later said he had directed a legal committee to look into lifting unpopular emergency laws - in place since 1963.
Backing for Mr Assad's regime has also been in evidence, with huge crowds joining officially encouraged shows of support for the regime in Damascus on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the US said two Americans detained in Syria for several days had been released. State department spokesman Mark Toner confirmed the news but could add no more details due to "privacy considerations".
'Snipers on rooftops'
On Friday, protesters took to the streets in Deraa, Qamishli, Hassakeh and also Latakia, witnesses said.
Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote
The one who kills his people is a traitorâ€