Mr Al Shugri is one of the organizers of the peaceful demonstrations in the city of Banyas. He is well respected among the demonstrators in Banyas as one of the first who called for demonstrations in the city, as well as somebody who led and organized these and ensured they have remained peaceful. Furthermore, Mr Al Shugri has testified to the human rights violations perpetrated by the authorities during these protests on Arab and international media.

In order to refute claims by the official Syrian media about false witnesses giving wrong information to satellite channels, Mr Al Shugri did not withhold his real name when reporting on events occurring in Banyas. Because he is publicly known as an organizer of demonstrations and therefore seen as a threat by the Syrian regime, the Syrian media have accused him of being the leader of a terrorist gang and of being involved in smuggling activities, but have failed to provide any evidence in support of these accusations.

Sources reported that Mr Al Shugri may have been wanted by the security services since the raid on Al Bayda on 12 April 2011, where Mr Al Shugri was born and grew up. Some media reports in fact suggest that the raid on Al Bayda in particular aimed at arresting Mr Al Shugri. Following the general raid on Banyas on 7 May 2011, which attempted to suppress the protests in the city, Mr Al Shugri was eventually arrested on 14 May 2011 by the Military Intelligence Services in a barn he was hiding between the villages of Al-Basateen and Al-Murah, both of which are in the direct proximity of Banyas (approximately 7 km away).

According to our information, the person who informed the security services about Mr Al Shugri's hiding place confirmed that Mr Al Shugri had been arrested by the Military Intelligence Services. Alkarama has also obtained information that Mr Al Shugri had been taken to the Palestine Branch Detention Centre in Damascus. However, the Syrian authorities deny Mr Al Shugri's arrest and detention.

Because of his leading role in the peaceful demonstrations in Banyas, Mr Al Shugri has become a symbol of peaceful resistance among the protestors. Many people are therefore concerned for his physical and mental integrity. Alkarama requests that Syrian authorities immediately release Mr Al Shugri and refrain from arbitrary arrests and detention.