2,130 Syrian civilians locked in Syrian prisons by Assad regime and 48 Iranian nationals held captive by Syrian opposition groups were released today under the mediation of IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation.

IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation conducting wide-ranging aid activities in Syria since the unrest began in March 2011, succeeded at the end of months-long humanitarian diplomacy negotiations for the civilians held captive.

IHH, carries out aid activities in the war zones since its establishment, is today using its knowledge and experience for the liberation of civilians imprisoned in Syria. IHH's humanitarian diplomacy negotiations had brought its first results as the liberation of two Turkish journalists Adem Özköse and Hamit Coşkun, and locating the whereabouts of months-long-lost journalist Cüneyt Ünal. Then by the later talks, 7 Syrian civilians were also released from prison and lastly two Turkish nationals were freed from the prison in Damascus and gathered to their families.

In the course of these negotiations IHH's Humanitarian Diplomacy Team made possible the release of the huge number of civilian prisoners in the recent history. As a result of humanitarian diplomacy talks mediated by IHH team between the two parties, 2,130 civilian including 76 women kept in prisons by the Syrian regime were released in exchange for 48 Iranian nationals held captive by the Syrian opposition.

The release of the civilian prisoners started earlier today. IHH Diplomacy Team continues to follow the process inside different parts of Syria. IHH's President Bülent Yıldırım personally pursues negotiations in Damascus as well as the mediation process within the scope of “Humanitarian Diplomacy.”