A riot in a Syrian jail may have cost the lives of dozens of prisoners, say human rights groups in Damascus, Ferry Biedermann reports from Beirut . The authorities yesterday acknowledged that they had put down an uprising in Sidnaya prison that started on Saturday but did not mention any casualties.

"Prisoners sentenced for crimes of terrorism and extremism caused trouble," said a report carried by Sana, the state news agency. The authorities later said they had restored calm but this was disputed by some human rights activists.