Syrian blogger released

Razan Ghazzawi, a Syrian blogger who was arrested on 4 December on her way to a conference in Jordan, has been freed on bail

Razan Ghazzawi, a campaigner for press freedom, was detained by Sytrian authorities on 4 December.

She was charged with fomenting sectarian strife and spreading false information through a secret organisation – charges punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

According to the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM) for whom she works, Razan Ghazzawi has denied all the charges leveled at her and has stated that her general activity is limited to working with the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression, in addition to freely expressing her opinion as a Syrian citizen through writing in her personal blog – a right guaranteed by the Syrian constitution.

The Syrian Center for Media and freedom of expression which is part of the Arab Working Group, a network of Arab human rights organisations with whom IMS works, said in a statement that Ms. Ghazzawi was freed on Sunday night, 18 December, on bail.

It said that she would still stand trial at a later, unspecified date.