Razan Ghazzawi, Syrian blogger, arrested: activists

Human rights groups on Thursday condemned the arrest of popular opposition blogger Razan Ghazzawi, a key force in the nearly yearlong uprising against the government in Syria.

She was arrested alongside several other key activists as part of a government raid. 

Lawyer Anwar Bunni said the 31-year-old activist was detained as part of a government raid on the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression in Damascus, AFP reported. Bunni issued a statement calling for the release of Ghazzawi and activist Mazen Darwish, the director of the center, who was arrested alongside a dozen others. 

Darwish and Ghazzawi have been arrested in the past. No reason was given for the arrests. 

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The press freedom organization Reporters Without Borders also raised concern for the activists, the Los Angeles Times reported. The group issued a statement that described Darwish as "an undaunted champion of human rights" and demanding the activists' immediate release. 

Syrian-American Ghazzawi's Razaniyyat blog dates back to 2009. She is followed by over 6,500 people on Twitter, where she is known as @RedRazan.

Syria has been the scene of increasing violence in recent months as hardline President Bashar al-Assad seeks to crush an uprising against his rule. The United Nations says more than 5,400 Syrians have been killed. 

The arrests came as the United Nations on Thursday voted in favor of a resolution condemning Assad for the crackdown.