Mohammed Abdel-Mawla al-Hariri is a Syrian social media activist who, like many others before him, gave an interview to Al Jazeera's Arabic news channel to denounce the al-Assad regime. But the interview looks set to be his last. Shortly after giving it, he was reportedly taken from his home, tortured and charged with 'high treason and contacts with foreign parties'. The Syrian government allegedly sentenced him to death.

This case is significant because of the chilling effect it may have on opponents of the government and its potential impact on the flow of information coming out of the country.