VZCZCXRO5742
PP RUEHAG RUEHROV
DE RUEHDM #0271 1141336
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 231336Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4875
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0386 C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 000271 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PARIS FOR JORDAN; LONDON FOR TSOU 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/22/2018 
TAGS:          
SUBJECT: SYRIAN MILITARY COURT GIVES KAMAL LABWANI ANOTHER 
THREE YEARS 
 
Classified By: CDA Michael H. Corbin for reasons 1.4 b and d 
 
 1. (C) Summary: The Syrian Military Court sentenced 
imprisoned political dissident Kamal Labwani to an additional 
three years in prison on top of a 12-year sentence related to 
2005 meetings he had with U.S. government officals and the 
Syrian opposition in the U.S. and Europe.  Diplomats from the 
UK and German Embassies who joined poloff in observing the 
trial said they will encourage the EU Presidency to make a 
statement regarding the verdict.  See paragraph five for 
draft language for a possible statement on the verdict. End 
Summary. 
 
 2. (C) On April 23, the Mezzeh Military Court in Damascus 
convicted imprisoned political reformer Kamal Labwani of 
insulting the President, which adds three years to his 
12-year prison term.  The accusations stem from comments 
Labwani made in court and allegedly in Adra,a Prison during 
the course of his criminal trial in spring of 2007.  In that 
criminal trial Labwani was accused, convicted and sentenced 
to 12 years for, "encouraging a foreign power to invade Syria 
during a time of war."  Labwani was first arrested upon his 
return from a three month trip to Europe and the U.S., during 
which time he participated in a voluntary International 
Visitors Program (IVP).  (Note: Labwani had previously headed 
the now defunct Liberal Democratic Union which was active in 
trying to create a secular-oriented alternative to the Ba'ath 
Party in 2004-2005.)  Many in the opposition speculate that 
Labwani crossed many of the SARG,s redlines when he met with 
senior USG officials in Washington and the exiled leader of 
the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood Ali Sadreddine Bayanouni in 
Paris. 
 
 3. (C) Labwani,s conviction and 12-year sentence were upheld 
by the Cassation Court (Syria,s highest court) on April 9. 
Labwani,s defense lawyers appealed the original Criminal 
Court decision arguing that the presiding judge erred on 
several key points of the law including the fact that Syria 
is not in a state of war and that the government failed to 
produce key pieces of evidence against Labwani.  Moderate 
Islamist member of the Damascus Declaration National Council 
Fawaz Tello said that on April 12 the regime had opened a new 
case against Labwani in the Military Court for more alleged 
anti-government comments Labwani made in prison.  (Note: Up 
till now, Post has been unable to get confirmation of the new 
charges from any of Labwani,s defense lawyers.)  Samer 
Labwani, Kamal,s wife, said that the government,s ultimate 
goal is to imprison Labwani for 25 years.  To do that, the 
government will continue to bring new charges against Kamal 
as soon as the last case finishes, Samer Labwani said. 
Author, poet, and political dissident Mahmoud Sarem was also 
present at the trial. 
 
 4. (C) Diplomats from the UK, French and German Embassies 
joined poloff at the April 23 Military verdict to show their 
solidarity.  A UK diplomat told poloff that she and her 
German counterpart will recommend that the EU Presidency 
makes a statement denouncing the SARG,s verdict and 
continued imprisonment of Kamal Labwani.  The UK diplomat 
cautioned however that the EU Presidency has now rotated to 
the Slovenians who have proved quite slow at making 
decisions.  According to the UK diplomat, the UK may issue 
its own statement if the EU Presidency under the Slovenians 
delays action on a statement. 
 
 5. (C) Post proposes the following draft text if the 
Department or White House desires to make a statement.  Begin 
text:  The U.S. strongly condemns the Syrian Military 
Court,s decision to sentence Kamal Labwani to an additional 
three years for allegedly insulting President Bashar al-Asad. 
 This decision, coupled with the Syrian High Court,s verdict 
to uphold Mr. Labwani,s earlier 12-year sentence for calling 
for political reform, demonstrates the Syrian regime,s 
contempt for human rights, freedom of expression, and the 
rule of law.  We call on the Syrian Government to immediately 
release Mr. Labwani and all other political prisoners 
including the 13 Damascus Declaration National Council 
members, in addition to Omar Abdullah, Anwar al-Bunni, Aref 
Dalila, Mahmoud Issa, and Michel Kilo. 
CORBIN