Syrian opposition activists arrested on international Human Rights Day

Dozens of opposition activists – including the brother of political prisoner Anwar Bunni – were arrested in Syria on international Human Rights Day, according to human rights groups, Agence France-Presse reported Tuesday.

Approximately 30 people who signed the 2005 Damascus Declaration, which called for “radical change,” were targeted in the crackdown, the groups said, adding that the activists also took part in a protest on December 1.

Akram Bunni, who was elected as secretary of the National Declaration of Damascus Council on December 1, was one of the activists visited by security officials on Monday. His brother, Anwar Bunni, was sentenced to five years in jail earlier this year after signing the declaration on relations between Lebanon and Syria.

“It is a flagrant violation of international treaties on human rights,” said the Syrian Human Rights League, adding that they condemned the actions which coincided with international Human Rights Day on Monday.

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Iran reprimands Saudi Arabia for participation in Middle East peace talks

Saudi Arabia’s participation in this week’s U.S.-hosted Middle East peace talks has drawn the ire of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Agence France-Presse reported today.

“The U.S. government, which is an accomplice to Zionist crimes, cannot play the role of savior by hosting the Annapolis conference,” Ahmadinejad told Saudi King Abdullah.

In a telephone conversation with King Abdullah, Ahmadinejad said that he wished Saudi Arabia was not attending the conference with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. The conference will be the first time the kingdom will meet with Israel to discuss a peace agreement.

More than a dozen Arab countries have stated they will be sending representatives, including Israeli adversary Syria, a chief ally of Iran. Iraq has not confirmed its presence, and representatives from the Islamist Hamas movement will not be attending.

Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned the conference, predicting that it was “doomed to failure.”

Non-recognition of Israel is one of Iran’s main ideological themes. In response to the meeting, Ahmadinejad has invited leaders of Palestinian factions to Tehran.

The conference will be held Tuesday in Annapolis near Washington, D.C.

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