Teen-aged prisoners of Conscience in Syria

This morning I wanted to write about Tal Al-Mallouhi, who was a 17 year old Syrian teenager from Homs when she was arrested for crimes of espionage for writing in her blog in December 2009. 

It was said she was passing information to foreign governments through her blog. Really all she was doing was showing sympathy for the plight of the Palestinians, restrictions of freedom in Syria and hope for peace for the Middle-east. She was doing this through essays and poetry.

In 2010 she was brought in front of a Syrian court, without any lawyer and her family was not allowed to assist. Without showing any proof of her crimes she was convicted and given a jail term of 5 years. She is in solitary confinement. No one can visit her, not family, not friends, not even a lawyer. 

Here is an illustration of Tal's poetry: [Taken from AlJeezera English site]

You Will Remain an Example
(In reference to Gandhi)

I will walk with all walking people
And no
I will not stand still
Just to watch the passers by

This is my Homeland
In which
I have
A palm tree
A drop in the cloud
And a grave to protect me

She was the youngest prisoner of conscience in the world, but sadly isn't the only one in Syria anymore. Recently they have been rounding up teens who wrote anti government slogans in Daraa. They have blamed some teens for being the sole instigators of the pro-democracy movement in their town.