From Yoshita Singh United Nations, Feb 21 (PTI) United Nations experts have appealed for the release of the people arbitrarily detained in Syria, condemning the arrest of more human rights figures last week on the same day when the UN General Assembly had adopted a resolution against the violent crackdown in the country. At least 16 people, including human rights workers, at the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression were arrested on February 16, the same day that the General Assembly adopted the resolution condemning the Syrian government's violent crackdown on civilians. Security forces raided the offices of the centre, a prominent human rights organisation, and reportedly arrested and blindfolded its workers. "The Syrian authorities should end all acts of harassment against human rights defenders and release all those arbitrarily arrested and detained," said the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders Margaret Sekaggya. Sekaggya was joined by UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression Frank La Rue; on torture Juan Mendez and the Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, El Hadji Malick Sow in calling for the release of those arbitrarily detained amid the ongoing government crackdown that began nearly a year ago. The experts also voiced their concern that the individuals may be subjected to torture and ill treatment. "The arrest of these persons, including prominent human rights defenders, is emblematic of an alarming and recurrent pattern of arbitrary detention in Syria since March 2011. Detention without legal basis should never be used as a method of repression," Sow said.
