Riots resume in Syrian prisons; 10 hostages taken

Prison inmates in Hama rioted on Saturday in a protest against a ruling for execution of 13 inmates. They are holding the prison director and nine pro-regime officers hostage.

This is the second riot in central Hama prison in May. The mutiny began after an announcement that 13 prisoners sentenced to death would be executed. Around 1,000 political prisoners have been jailed in central Hama prison.

"The director and the police chief and some policemen were captured on May 28 at 2 pm," a voice is heard saying.

Water and electricity have been cut in response to the riot.

The UK-based monitoring group, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said that Saturday's riot appeared to be more serious than the previous one which erupted on May 2.

"The prisoners were able to detain the director of the prison, the head of police in Hama city and nine policemen," the watchdog said.

Earlier this month, 800 inmates, mostly political detainees, were involved in a mutiny which appeared to be a protest against transferring inmates to another prison near Damascus, where numerous political prisoners have been reportedly executed.

The regime agreed to release all of the prisoners detained in central Hama prison in exchange of release for 10 guards under hostage.

However, the Damascus government set free over 100 detainees but a further 700 remained inside as the government decided to put them on trial instead.

At least 60,000 inmates have died from torture, starvation or miserable conditions in regime prisons during Syria's war, now in its 6th year.