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Since Ahmad Bakdones became involved in peaceful activism, his flat was repeatedly raided by security forces. On 19 May 2012, agents from General Intelligence arrested him without showing an arrest warrant or informing him of the reason of his arrest. His relatives learned through informal channels that after his arrest, he was initially taken to Al Khateeb detention centre in Damascus. Later, on 20 October 2012, he was transferred to Damascus Central Prison in Adraa, where Mr Bakdones' family was able to visit him several times. They noted at the time his very bad health due to severe torture he was suffering. Not only did Mr Bakdones show signs of fractures on his body, but he was also suffering from respiratory problems.
Nevertheless, since the second half of December 2012, his family was not allowed further visits. As they could not obtain official information about his fate, they once again learned through informal channels that he had been seen at the General Intelligence's Al Mazza branch. Later, in early April 2013, they were told that Mr Bakdones may have been taken to Sednaya Prison. This place is notorious for the severe torture and suspicious deaths that take place there. However, no official information regarding his fate and whereabouts has been made available by the authorities and Mr Bakdones therefore remains enforcibly disappeared.
Today, Alkarama submitted Mr Bakdones' case to the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances and other UN Special Procedures requesting their urgent intervention with the Syrian authorities regarding his situation.