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Rights groups call for release of Syrian activists

By WTOP Staff

BEIRUT (AP) — The Committee to Protect Journalists, along with 78 international human rights and press freedom groups, has called on the Syrian government to release three Syrian human rights activists who have been imprisoned for more than two years.

A Syrian court is expected to issue a verdict in the cases of Mazen Darwish, Hussein Ghrer and Hani Zitani on Sept. 24. Darwish was the director of the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression when he was arrested in February 2012 along with his two colleagues.

The three are standing trial on charges of “publicizing terrorist acts.”

In a joint statement issued Friday, the groups describe the trial as a “sham” and call on the government to release the three activists immediately.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Emergency guide: What you should do to prepare for emergencies

By WTOP Staff
WASHINGTON — Do you know what you'd do if an emergency hits? What if you're at work, your spouse is stuck in traffic and your children are in school? There's no way to plan for every emergency, but you can make sure you're prepared for different scenarios, including making a plan for your family and building a kit of emergency supplies.
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