• Syria returns as Lebanon's Hariri drops accusation: analysts
• Syria still stonewalling in nuclear probe: IAEA
• Jordan king briefs Syria's Assad on peace talks
• Lebanon PM: accusations against Syria were mistake
• Exclusive: The Political Security Branch relays Internet flag to its military counterpart and the latter does not recognize its predecessor’s legitimacy!
• UN nuclear chief asks Israel to join treaty
• Syria holds Lebanon Shiite cleric as suspected Israeli spy
• Barak to head to Moscow to prevent missile sale to Syria
• US seeks Israeli peace talks with Syria, Lebanon
• Exclusive: A bid to pull Damascus out of

Syria releases opposition figure at end of jail term

DAMASCUS — Syria released from jail on Wednesday the opposition figure and former MP, Riad Seif, at the end of a sentence for damaging the image of the state and publishing lies, a rights group said.

Seif, 64, was among 12 people who signed what was known as the Declaration of Damascus, which called for democratic reforms in Syria. They were all sentenced in late 2008 to two and a half years in prison.

The others have been freed except for Talal Abu Dan, who is expected to be released in the coming days, and writer Ali Abdullah, who is to remain in jail on other charges, said Abdul-Karim Rihawi, president of the Syrian League for the Defence of Human Rights.

Seif had been sentenced in 2001 to five years in jail on charges of wanting to change the constitution by illegal means.