The Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression is deeply concerned about the fate of Syrian cyber activist Ala Chweti who has been detained for more than four months now.

Chweti was detained by security forces on 15/10/2011 and was beaten in front of his mother by security agents, no information about him or about his health has come to light since that day.

Chweti, aged 28 years old and lives in the city of Homs, Jeb Al-Jandli area, an associate degree holder—Institute of Oil & Minerals Professions—and a former employee at the Petroleum Company in Aljazeera province, Alaa’ was fired from his job because of his political stances.

Chweti had been arrested the first time on 22/4/2011 from his work, one day after the state of emergency was lifted in Syria based on the Decree No. 161, in theory, it seems. He was then released on bail on 05/31/2011, and is being tried on charges of "weakening national sentiment" as well as "inciting sectarian strife."

The Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression calls upon the Syrian authorities to immediately release cyber activist Alaa Chweti especially after knowing that he was severely beaten on the day of his arrest, which might lead to a deterioration of his health.

SCM stresses that the continued detention campaigns of citizens and media workers in Syria is a clear violation of the Decree No. 161 of 2011 which puts an end of the state of emergency in Syria. It is also a violation of Article 17 of the amended version of Criminal Procedure Code in Syria, which states that a detainee should not be kept suspended for investigation for more than sixty days.