Nayyouf, a former free-lance journalist, leading member of the independent Committees for the Defense of Democratic Freedoms and Human Rights in Syria (CDF), and editor of its monthly publication Sawt al-Democratiyya, was arrested in January 1992 and later convicted by the Supreme State Security Court of membership in an unauthorized organization and of disseminating false information. He was severely tortured during his interrogation.
Nayyouf is serving a 10-year sentence and reportedly suffers from Hodgkin’s disease and several other serious ailments, including partial paralysis of his lower extremities as a result of torture. He is also said to suffer from kidney failure and deteriorating eyesight.