Syria Frees Opposition Figure

A Syrian judge freed opposition figure Georges Sabra on Monday, almost two months after he was arrested at his home in Qatana near Damascus, his lawyer said.

"The judge decided to release Georges Sabra today after questioning on charges that were brought against him," said the lawyer Khalil Maatuk.

Sabra had been charged with "undermining the morale of the state, wanting to create and Islamic emirate (in Qatana) and inciting people to demonstrate" against President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

The head of the Syrian Democratic People's Party, he had been held in custody in the basement of a local security building since being arrested at his Qatana home on July 20, said Maatuk.

Sabra had previously been arrested on April 10 and detained for one month.

His party is associated with the 2005 Damascus Declaration for Democratic National Change, an opposition movement calling for democratic reforms in the country.