Update:   Akram Raslan

CURRENT STATUS: UNKNOWN
June 20, 2014   CRNI has been working ceaselessly to ascertain exactly the exact whereabouts of Mr. Raslan, and to gain information about his health and status. We’ve enlisted the support of the United Nations Human Rights Council, and its Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
The last official report on Mr. Raslan came via the the Syrian Permanent Mission to the UN in 2013, in response to a UN request for information relating to the cartoonist. At that time, the Syrian Mission confirmed Mr. Raslan’s arrest was for publishing cartoons ‘offending the state’s prestige’, and that he was still under investigation by the ‘relevant authority’.
By the end of September 2013, it had been reported to us that Akram Raslan and other prisoners of conscience had been secretly put on trial on July 26th; with no witnesses, no defense attorneys, no appeal, and no hope for justice. Unconfirmed and sketchy reports claimed all the defendants had been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Another rash of unconfirmed reports later said that Raslan, and possibly others, had then been secretly executed. That was followed by more reports saying that he is certainly alive. Since then, more reports have surfaced that Akram is alive, with others claiming otherwise, We hope it is the former, and will continue to work our sources to verify his condition and location.
CRNI will continue to call on Syrian authorities to supply further details about Mr. Raslan’s legal status, and to campaign to ensure that Mr Raslan, who has now been a prisoner for 20 months without trial, is treated in compliance with UN regulations. CRNI will post updates on the campaign and any further news about Mr Raslan as we receive it.