The report also includes the case of 72-year old Riad al-Turk, who is now being tried before the Supreme State Security Court in Damascus on charges including attempting to change the Constitution by illegal means. On 19 May the Syrian authorities refused an Amnesty International trial observer, as well as diplomats and members of the press, permission to attend the court hearing in his case.

"The only 'crime' these people committed was to exercise their fundamental right to freedom of expression. They should have never been detained in the first place and must be released immediately," said Amnesty International, which considers them to be "prisoners of conscience".

The organization is concerned that some of these prisoners may be subjected to torture or ill-treatment and denied prompt access to medical care, lawyers and family members.

The organization is further concerned that political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Syria have been denied the basic right to a fair trial. This is particularly the case with trials before the Supreme State Security Court, which fall short of international standards of independence and impartiality of the judiciary and whose decisions cannot be appealed to a higher court.