Mr Osso, aged 47, is a human rights lawyer and Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Kurdish Organisation for the Defense of Human Rights and Public Freedoms in Syria (DAD). He has defended numerous Syrian political prisoners pro bono, most often before the now-defunct Supreme State Security Court. He was also part of a group of 20 Syrian lawyers had announced their intention to boycott, from 9 March 2011 the Supreme State Security Court in protest at the illegal nature of the court.

Mr Osso was summoned for questioning by the Syrian Bar Association on Monday 1 August 2011. He was questioned about statements he made in the press about the present human rights situation in Syria, including the arbitrary arrests of protestors, as well as his participation in a protest in front of the Al Hasaka court against the arbitrary detention of protestors. At present, the Bar Association is considering his case, and whether to press ahead with disciplinary action.

Alkarama fears there is a risk that disciplinary action may lead to Mr Osso losing his licence to practice as a lawyer, and may even result in criminal charges, as has happened to other individuals in similar cases, including Muhannad Al-Hassani, sentenced to three years imprisonment for "weakening national sentiment" and "conveying within Syria news that could debilitate the morale of the nation" – charges often used against political activists and human rights defenders.