"They want us to conduct random arrests - about 180 of them," Mr. Arafat said.

Constant police patrols and random arrests combined with widespread fear to upset opposition plans for two big "Black Day" street protests.

The report also criticized a referendum last November that allows the President to rule by decree, and permits random arrests of opposition leaders.

Arab bloggers published attacks on what is considered repressive random arrests in Syria.

Jane Simon and Brian Mclver described Marsden as having an "appetite for making random arrests".

After forcing police to cancel the rally, the protesters directed aggression against the police in response to random arrests and police brutality.

For hundreds of other families, the near daily street clashes, army raids and random arrests proved too great a threat.

Respect for the law weakens when people notice that they are no longer protected from random arrests, lengthy custody and controversial surrender.

Poor prison conditions, random arrests, and excessively long pre-trial detentions are still serious problems.

Mr President, in the Anglo-American world, the primary purpose of the law is to protect people from random arrest and arbitrary imprisonment.