August 30, 2012 – (New York) – Syrian government forces have dropped bombs and fired artillery at or near at least 10 bakeries in Aleppo province over the past three weeks, killing and maiming scores of civilians who were waiting for bread.

Nineteen-year-old female student Zilal Ibrahim al-Salhani was arrested at her home in Syria on 28 July. Apart from one phone call that day, she has been held without contact with the outside world since. There are fears for her safety as she is at risk of torture and other ill-treatment.

For more than a year, 67-year-old Abd al-Akram al-Sakka has been missing in what amounts to an enforced disappearance – a crime under international law.

August 29, 2012 – (New York) – Syria’s neighbors should keep their borders open to the large and growing number of refugees fleeing Syria, while donor countries should generously support them. Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon have mostly opened their borders to more than 200,000 refugees from neighboring Syria, but in the past week some officials in these countries have said they are reaching their limit and may soon close their borders.