An informed source of the Syrian Human Rights Committee (SHRC) has reported, with much distress, that there has been absolutely no news of NIzar Rastanawi in Sednaya Military Prison, and that he may have indeed been killed during the painful events of Sednaya Prison which took place in Summer 2008.

Nizar Rastanawi (50 years) was arrested in 18/4/2005 whilst he was driving home, close to Muwrek (Hama Province). On 18/4/2006 he was sentenced to four years imprisonment, accused of spreading false lies and ridiculing the President of the Republic. Rastanawi was transferred to Sednaya Prison to serve his sentence.

When his sentence ended on 18/4/2009, Rastanawi was not released. His family know nothing of his fate.

SHRC expresses its deepest concern of the fate of NIzar Rastanawi, and calls upon the Syrian Authorities to reveal his fate; if alive, he should be immediately released, and if dead, then the causes of his death need to be made clear. SHRC also calls upon human rights groups to campaign for Nizar Rastanawi’s fate to be revealed, as well as the reasons for him not being released or his permanent disappearance a year following the end of his sentence term.

Syrian Human Rights Committee
24/2/2010