Public trial gives rare glimpse into Syrian justice

By Khaled Yacoub Oweis

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - A session in the rare public trial of 13 Syrian dissidents on Tuesday gave a glimpse into the workings of a justice system where most political cases are handled behind closed doors.

The 13 were arrested last year after leading a large meeting to revive a movement calling for freedom of expression and a democratic constitution as an alternative to four decades of Baath Party rule.

Their arrest sparked international condemnation, with the United States and European nations repeatedly calling for their release. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is due to visit Syria next week, raised their plight during a recent meeting with President Bashar al-Assad in Paris.

The 12 men and one woman, who are among Syria's leading intellectuals and have been in jail since their arrest, were brought into a courtroom in the Ottoman-era Palace of Justice packed with their relatives, political activists and Western diplomats, surrounded by heavy security.

A picture of late President Hafez al-Assad, who ruled Syria for 30 years, was plastered on a wall.

The judge read out the charges and asked the defendants -- most of whom have already been jailed previously as political prisoners -- if they had anything to say. All 13 say they are innocent.

Senior opposition figure Riad Seif, who is receiving treatment for prostate cancer while in prison, spoke first.

"Our case is about freedom of opinion. It is not a criminal one. We demand a national programme for democratic change that begins with the right of expression," Seif said.