Syria bans 7 human rights activists from travel abroad, group says

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Syrian authorities have banned seven human rights activists from leaving the country, a human rights group said Monday and demanded the measure be revoked. The group, called National Organization for Human Rights, said its chief was among those included in the ban and called it a "punishment" that is contrary to the Syrian constitution and law. The ban came to light when the group's chief, Ammar Qurabi, was told earlier Monday by airport authorities that he could not leave for Jordan to participate at a meeting hosted by the Amman Center for Human Right Studies. A similar travel ban was recently slapped on Rasem al-Sayyed Suleiman, head of the Arab Organization for Human Rights here, when he wanted to travel to Turkey for a conference on Jerusalem, the group said.