Washington, DC - We call on the Asad regime to drop its most recent charges and all others against prominent human rights activists, journalists, and opposition figures, including Michel Kilo, Hind Kabawat, Mazen Darwish, and Faisal al-Kasem. These absurd charges are the latest examples of the regime’s blatant attempts to silence all those peacefully expressing views that are not in line with those of the regime.

The regime continues to imprison tens of thousands of Syrians without fair trials, including women, children, doctors, humanitarian aid providers, human rights defenders, journalists, and others who it routinely subjects to torture, sexual violence, and inhumane conditions.

The United States strongly condemns the arbitrary arrests and charges against Syrian human rights defenders and journalists, and demands the immediate release of all political prisoners and persons arbitrarily detained.