Syrian political prisoner 'freed'

Syria has released the country's longest-serving political prisoner, human rights activists say.

Imad Shiha, 51, was reportedly released early this week after spending 29 years in prison for being a leading member of the banned Arab Communist Organisation.

Almost 100 other prisoners were freed as part of an amnesty announced by President Bashar al-Assad last month.

Lawyer Anwar Bunni welcomed Mr Shiha's release and urged the authorities to free all political prisoners.

Mr Shiha was jailed in 1975.

His group were said to have been involved in attacks against organisations linked to US businesses, the Associated Press news agency reported.

According to Amnesty International, he was reportedly tortured and ill-treated to confess to the charges.

A total of 251 political prisoners, including some members of the Muslim Brotherhood, have been released in the past two weeks, Mr Bunni said.

He called on Damascus to "quickly settle the question of political prisoners by releasing them".