Detained writer Ali Abdallah and his son Muhammad were referred to a military court on Tuesday where they face charges of slandering officials of the state. (UPI, 6/20/06)
Middle East Transparent points out that the Abdallahs are still facing charges before a regular court as well, despite their recent referral to a military court. (Arabic. 6/20/06).
Meanwhile, the military court in Homs held a hearing Tuesday in the trial of activist Hassan Zeino who is accused of distributing banned publications. Ammar Qurabi of the National Organization for Human Rights (NOHR) said in a statement that the court was supposed to give the verdict, but the judge decided at the last minute to check with the military judicial authorities in Damascus whether the National Democratic Gathering (NDG) was not banned which would make its leaflets legal.
The Gathering includes five unlicensed parties. Zeino was arrested at a bus station in Homs for the possession of unlicensed leaflets and publications in reference to the "Democratic Stand," a publication of the NDG.
In the meantime, the regime's crackdown and campaign of arrests continues. Elaph reported the arrest of Kurdish activist Abdo Khalaf Wello in his hometown. (Arabic. 6/21/06). According to the report, a patrol of the political security apparatus raided Wello's home Monday night and arrested him. Wello is a leading member of the Kurdish Democratic Party. He is 65 and suffers from diabetes.