Syrian blogger Ali Sayed al-Shihabi has been arrested by the country’s security forces without explanation.

The 50 year old teacher has not been seen since he was summoned to a meeting with security agents in Damascus on 10th August. On 12th August his wife tried to find out what was going on and was told that he was being held at the State Security centre at Kafr Soussa, Damascus, but that she could not see him.

No explanation has been given for either the summons or the detention. He has not been charged with any offence but his arrest is believed to be linked to articles he’s written for websites such as Hiwar al-Mutamedn (‘Civilised Dialogue’). He also has had two books published in Syria on social affairs.

Ali Sayed al-Shihabi is a former prisoner of conscience, detained between 1982 and 1991 for his membership of the outlawed Party for Communist Action (PCA), which he has since left.

Syria has a history of persecuting bloggers and Shihabi’s arrest has sparked fears that President Assad’s government is seeking to clamp down on freedom of speech on the internet.

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