Fourth day of protests in Syrian town

Thousands of people marched Monday in the southern Syrian town of Daraa after the funeral of a protester killed in a demonstration the day before, reports say. Monday was the fourth day of protests in Daraa despite a massive deployment of security forces and a crackdown on protests that has left five dead.

Reuters/Reuters TV

Monday’s demonstration was organised around the funeral of 23-year-old Raed Akrad, who was killed by security forces Sunday when they opened fire to disperse a protest.

"Just God, Syria and Freedom," and "Revolution, revolution" the demonstrators chanted, a resident told told the AFP news agency.

Security forces were stationed at entrances to town.

Inspired by successful uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, the protesters are demanding an end to 48 years of emergency laws under President Bashar al-Assad and his father Hafez.

Human rights groups said Monday that security forces have used "arbitrary detentions" and "excessive force" in cities where anti-regime protests have flared after an initially slow response to calls to protest.

“Eleven people were detained Friday after a demonstration outside the Omayyed mosque in Damascus, and several others were arrested in the port city of Banias," said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

On Thursday, 32 protesters who were arrested during a Damascus rally calling for the release of political prisoners faced charges of "attacking the reputation of the state" and "inciting racism and sectarianism."

And "dozens of protesters" were arrested after the funerals of four demonstrators in Daraa on Saturday, a rights activist said.

France on Monday condemned the crackdown and called for the release of all detained protesters.