More Political Prisoners Last Year

The number of political prisoners in Syria increased last year, with Islamists and Kurds accounting for the majority of those in detention, according to a report published by the independent website Syrian Human Rights Information Link on December 6.



Human rights activists estimate the total number of individuals known to be in detention at 974, with 283 serving prison terms, 208 on trial and the rest awaiting sentencing.



According to the group, the authorities arrested 188 political prisoners last year. Of those listed, 44 per cent are Kurds and 32 per cent have an Islamist background.



The list is designed to draw attention to the plight of all political prisoners, rather than a few high-profile cases that have already been widely covered, the group said.