Dubai: The random arrests of doctors and lawyers in Aleppo in the past two days could mark a turning point in the 130-day-old Syrian uprising.
Until today, the relatively calm streets of the two major cities, Damascus and Aleppo, in which half the Syrian population lives, had placed enormous pressure on protesters in Homs, Hama and Deir Al Zour.
"Aleppo's rise as a protester stronghold might tilt the balance in favour of the uprising. The regime will not be able to easily control protesters if Aleppo actively joins the uprising," Dr Ammar Qurabi, Secretary-General of the Conference for Change in Syria, said.
Meanwhile, the National Organisation for Human Rights said Syria has become a "big prison" and the intensified pressure on intellectuals and professionals will work against stability in Aleppo.
"The unprovoked attack on the Jurists Association on Friday and the arrest of three lawyers have resulted in a great shift in public opinion against the regime," Qurabi said.
Heavy gunfire was heard in Homs yesterday, a day after two men were shot dead by security forces manning checkpoints, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The head of the group, Rami Abdul Rahman, said a woman was killed on Monday in Idlib.
