Syria: Gunmen Attack Political Cartoonist

According to human rights activists, Syrian gunmen attacked anti-regime cartoonist, Ali Ferzat, on Thursday in Damascus and left him bleeding in the streets.  Ferzat, who is in his 60s, was hospitalized after being “heavily beaten and physically abused.”  Wall Street Journal reported that security forces also broke both his hands as a “warning to stop drawing” after Ferzat had released a cartoon comparing President Bashar al-Assad to former Libyan Leader Muammar Gadhafi.  In response to Ferzat’s beating, several Facebook groups were formed to stand in solidarity with Ferzat.

About 12 people were killed across Syria between Wednesday afternoon and early Thursday.

Additionally, Human Rights Watch released a new report called “Setting the Record Straight,” which challenges the regime’s accounts of the crackdown.  The report is an effort to “debunk the impression” that authorities have ended military crackdowns since August 17.  It also reported that at least 49 people have been killed since then.

Security forces have also been accused of torturing a 28-year-old woman to death in the past 24 hours.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called on the Syrian regime to “accept the reforms demanded by its people.”