The Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,

Referring to the case of Mr. Mamoun Al-Homsi, a former member of the People’s Assembly of the Syrian Arab Republic, as outlined in the report of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians (CL/178/12(b)-R.1), and to the resolution adopted at its 177th session (October 2005),

Referring also to the report of its on-site mission, carried out from 11 to 14 May 2002 (CL/173/11(b)-R.4),

Recalling that Mr. Al-Homsi was arrested on 8 August 2001 following the publication of an open letter calling in particular for observance of the Constitution, the lifting of the state of emergency, a halt to the intrusions of the intelligence services into daily life, and the establishment of a parliamentary human rights committee; he was charged inter alia with "defaming the Constitution and displaying a hostile attitude towards the Government"; having been found guilty on 20 March 2002, he was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment; on 24 June 2002 the judgement was upheld on appeal and, on 26 July 2005, the Cassation Court dismissed Mr. Al-Homsi's application for early release (suspension of sentence),

Taking account of the communication from the Speaker of the People’s Assembly of the Syrain Arab Republic dated 22 March 2006, confirming Mr. Al-Homsi’s release on 18 January 2006,

1. Notes that Mr. Al-Homsi has finally been released and decides to close his case;

2. Reaffirms nevertheless its conclusion, reached in the light of the documents and information gathered by its on-site mission, that Mr. Al-Homsi was arrested, detained, prosecuted and sentenced merely for having exercised his freedom of expression guaranteed under the Constitution of the Syrian Arab Republic and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which the Syrian Arab Republic is a party; and deeply regrets that its consistent calls on the President of the Republic and the parliamentary authorities to grant Mr. Al-Homsi a pardon or to include him in an amnesty law have not been heeded, while other prisoners have been granted presidential pardons during the period in question;

   Requests the Secretary General to inform the parliamentary authorities and the sources accordingly.

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