DAMASCUS - The trial of Syrian dissident Kamal Labwani accused of contacts with the United States aimed at inciting "aggression against Syria" reopened Monday and was adjourned to July 16, a rights organisation said.
The judge reaffirmed the charge against Labwani of "plotting with a foreign country to attack Syria", an offence which carries a life sentence, National Organisation for Human Rights chief Ammar Qorabi said in a statement.
During the hearing, Labwani asked which foreign country he was accused of having contacts with, and the judge said it was the United States.
Defence lawyers Habib Issa, Abdel Rahim Gamazeh and Jihan Amin were present in court. They have demanded the playing of an interview Labwani gave to the US-sponsored Arabic-language satellite TV channel Al-Hurra, Qorabi said.
Labwani, founder of the Democratic Liberal Gathering in Syria, was arrested on his arrival at Damascus airport last November from a US visit during which he met White House officials.
His trial began on May 11 before Damascus criminal court.
The charges against Labwani are based on his meetings with US and European officials and on statements he has made, notably to Al-Hurra.
Labwani was imprisoned three years ago for taking part in the "Damascus Spring", the brief period of liberalisation in 2000 following the accession of Bashar al-Assad to the presidency after the death of his father, Hafez.
06/19/2006 13:29 GMT