Although clearly a political case, the 11 men and one woman are being tried in a Damascus criminal court on accusations of "spreading false information which weakens the morale of the nation and national sentiment, joining a secret organization with the aim of modifying the nation's political and economic status, inciting racial and sectarian dissent, and harming the state."

The dissidents were arrested following a December 2007 meeting of the group, calling themselves the Damascus Declaration for Democratic Change, at the residence of former parliament member Riyadh Seif, one of the dissidents facing trial.

They are prominent figures and members of various opposition parties who signed a document in October 2005 that called for "radical, peaceful and gradual" democratic changes in the country, ruled by Assad's Baathist regime.

The rights watchdog, Syrian Human Rights Observatory, quoted the dissidents as saying in court Wednesday that the aim of the "national assembly meeting on Dec. 1, 2007, was the peaceful and calm democratic transformation … and that they are not seeking power," and added that the group had made these calls publicly and not in secret.

Syrian legal sources say privately that although the criminal court is not authorized to hear the case, because the charges are politically-motivated and the defendants are "prisoners of conscience," it was nevertheless positive for the dissidents.

The legal sources argue that had the defendants been tried in a military or state security court, the hearings would have been held in secret, in haste, and the defendants would not have had a right to appeal.

The criminal court, they note, is comprised of civilian judges, and will thus give their team of lawyers a better opportunity to defend their case and take as long as they need. Plus, if the verdict is not in their favor, the defense can appeal to a higher court.

The court Wednesday adjourned until Aug. 26, giving ample time for a large defense team and human rights groups to intensify efforts to secure the defendants' release, a demand they have repeatedly been voicing since the authorities began rounding them up early this year.

The other hopeful news for the dissidents is that the trial is open to monitors from local and international rights groups, and even observers from European embassies – a rare occurrence in such trials in Syria, which often regards these matters as strictly internal affairs and does not welcome any kind of foreign intervention.

Independent Syrian analysts say that by opening the court to observers, Damascus wants to show its "good side" and that it was not seeking to persecute dissidents.

Fortunately for the defendants, it is due to the presence of the monitors that they were not seated in a caged section, but in an open court and were allowed to communicate with friends and family.

More importantly, the analysts argue, Damascus wants to portray itself as a regime that is opening up its domestic front following a series of political moves that have recently seen a rapprochement with France, a de facto Syrian recognition of Lebanon's independence – by declaring the intention of opening embassies in their respective capitals for the first time since their independence – and revived peace negotiations with Israel mediated through Turkey.

In fact, just a few hours after the court adjourned, Syrian and Israeli officials concluded a three-day fourth round of "indirect negotiations" in Istanbul described by Turkish officials as "held in a constructive atmosphere." Another round will be held in August.

Some Arab commentators said this trial was a test for Assad, and predicted that he might take the opportunity to further his regime's standing both at home and abroad by personally intervening by issuing a pardon on the grounds that the case is political and involves freedom of expression.

It is the biggest collective trial of Syrian dissidents since 2001, after the so-called Damascus Spring, a brief period of relative freedom of expression that followed Assad's rise to power in 2000.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, seen as Syria's doorway to the West after having invited Assad as a guest of honor to the Bastille Day celebrations in Paris on July 14 and to the launching of the Mediterranean Union a day earlier, had reportedly personally asked Assad to release the activists and other political prisoners.

Analysts say the Syrian opposition is optimistic that the Syrian president might order the release of the dissidents to score more kudos with his French counterpart.

If he has adopted a policy toward greater openness at home, even if just cosmetic, Assad might use his authority to release the Damascus Declaration leaders and other detainees, also scoring domestic points and taking the lead – and credit – for introducing more freedoms.