Syria has urged the United Nations to intervene on its behalf in order to secure the release of a Syrian prisoner who has been held in Israel for 22 years on charges of "resisting Israeli occupation" of the Golan Heights, Syria's official news agency SANA reported Wednesday.

SANA said the request came in the form of letters sent by the Syrian Foreign Ministry to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other UN officials asking them to intervene and force Israel to release Sitan al-Wali and 14 other Syrian prisoners from the Golan Heights, some of whom have been held for more than 20 years.

Al-Wali, who has been held in Israel for 22 years, was convicted and sentenced to 27 years in prison on charges of resisting the occupation by attacking Israeli troops, Medhat Saleh, head of Golan Affairs in the Syrian Cabinet, told The Associated Press by telephone.

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The letters also called for UN action to compel Israel to provide medical treatment for al-Wali whose health is deteriorating, SANA reported.