(AINA) -- Following the arrests of Mr. Bashir Saadi, Mr. Yonan Talya, and Mr. Aziz Ahi by the Syrian authorities on June 24th and 25th, two additional Assyrian Christians were apprehended on the following day. Of the two, one was released within one day when it was confirmed that he was simply the driver of the trucks purchased by the Assyrian Democratic Organization (ADO) for transportation of potable water to the Khabor region. The remaining prisoner, Mr. Imananisho Karimo, is also a member of the ADO and remains incarcerated till today along with the other three members.

All four men are being held in Kamishli without access to an attorney. They are not allowed family visits and no information is available on their general well being. They have not had a formal hearing despite being incarcerated for nearly one month. Concern for their well being has been heightened following the transfer of one of the captives, Mr. Yonan Talya to the hospital on July 18, 1997. Apparently, Mr. Talya's physical health had dramatically deteriorated while in prison. The prison physician was unable to care for Mr. Talya. He consequently spent one and a half days in the hospital before being transferred back to the prison. Mr. Talya was not known to have had any preexisting medical conditions and it is feared that his hospitalization was possibly related to injuries sustained during his incarceration.