The arrest of the Medic Merfat Akram in Homs city

It is not a secret anymore to anyone in the world the deteriorating humanitarian situation in hospitals and ambulatory points across Syria and its need for any possible assistance. Many Syrian citizens are donating blood in order to save their injured brothers. In contrast, government forces are trying to pursuit and arrest those who are trying to help. Moreover, there are many youth detainees in detention centers who were accused of possessing medical supplies beside many detained doctors, with various specialties, who are, as of the last count, about 700 detained doctors.
 
Merfat Akram is a physiotherapist from Homs city. Her fault was being one of those citizens. At Sunday morning an armored vehicle from the regime army stopped her while she was heading to the blood bank in Al-Wa’r neighborhood along with a relative of her. Soldiers affiliated with the Syrian regime, judging from their military outfit and their military gear had arrested her without any warrant and took Mrs. Merfat to a State Security branch where she stayed for a brief period of time before she was transferred to the Military Security branch in Homs. This was the last information SNHR had on Mrs. Merfat
 
Merfat was known as Um Abdo and helped many injured and saved many victims of violence in Homs city. She moved from Al Khalediah neighborhood to Al Wa’er neighborhood and other neighborhoods of the city. She offered help anywhere either in her specialty or through donating blood. In light of the reports and news of killing the injured and the medics and exposing them to systematic torture, Merfat’s life is in danger and it is believed that she was subjected to extreme torture. SNHR fears that government forces tortured her as many other doctors and medics according to testimonies of the survivors who were previously detained in the Syrian regime detention centers.
 

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