Prisoners freed in Syria

SYRIA has freed a group of political prisoners held for years, including three former air force officers condemned in the 1980s for an attempted coup, a human rights lawyer said yesterday.

One of the longest-serving political prisoners, Imad Shiha, a member of the Arab Communist organisation, should also be freed soon after being held for nearly 30 years, Anwar Bunni said.

A total of 257 political prisoners will be freed in a presidential amnesty.