On 13 May 2011, Mr Mohammad Al-Ashtar went to the Al Rastan Police Station – Muderiatte Al Mintaka - to file a complaint regarding the theft of personal items. He was immediately arrested, before being enforced disappeared. According to our source, this arrest was because his name had been given to all police stations by the Syrian security services which consider him as one of the organizers of the recent peaceful demonstrations in the city of Al Rastan.

On 21 July 2011, Alkarama submitted Mr Al-Ashtar's case to the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances with a copy to the Special Rapporteurs on Torture and the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Assembly and Association.

Mr Al-Ashtar is also the son of Mr Kassem Al-Ashtar (78 years old), a well known personality, who was arrested by Syrian Securities forces on 2 June 2011 before being released on 15 June 2011. During this detention, Mr Kassem Al-Ashtar was interrogated regarding the alleged activities of his 8 sons during the recent demonstrations and he was subjected to severe acts of torture and other ill-treatments.