Syrian authorities release 275 activists

The Syrian authorities freed on Tuesday 275 prisoners who were "involved" in the popular uprising against President Bashar Assad, state TV reported. "The authorities have freed 275 prisoners involved in recent incidents, but none of them have blood on their hands," the state broadcaster said. More than 4,000 people have been set free in seven rounds since the start of the uprising in March last year, including 1,000 in May alone, according to official Syrian media. The last round, on June 1, saw 223 people set free "in the presence of the (U.N. truce) monitors," deputy U.N. spokesman Eduardo del Buey said at the time. Releasing detainees is a requisite of the six-point peace plan brokered by U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, as is the ceasefire agreement that came into effect on April 12 but has suffered daily violations ever since. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says tens of thousands of people have been detained and more than 17,000 killed since March 2011.