An Investigation Must be Launched, Those Responsible Must Be Held Accountable, and Victims’ Families Must be Compensated
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The Hague – The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) today released a statement condemning the fatal torture of three detainees by personnel from the General Security Directorate of Syria’s current transitional government. In the statement, SNHR stresses that an investigation must be launched, those responsible must be held accountable, and the victims’ families must be compensated.
The statement reveals that, on January 29, 2025, personnel from the General Security Directorate of Syria’s transitional government detained a citizen, Mohammad Louay Mohammad Talal Tayyara, from the Inshaat neighborhood in Homs city. According to information obtained by SNHR from sources close to his family, he was detained on charges of having previously belonged to the National Defense Forces affiliated with the deposed Assad regime during its control of the city. He was subsequently taken to a detention center previously used by the Baath Party in Homs. On January 30, 2025, just one day after his arrest, his family received notification of his death inside the detention center. When his body was returned to his mother at al-Waleed Hospital in Homs, severe signs of torture were evident on it, clearly indicating that his death resulted from torture and medical negligence during his detention. According to accounts gathered by SNHR, Mohammad was in good health at the time of his arrest, reinforcing the likelihood that he died due to torture and medical negligence.
As the statement further reveals, an official statement issued was issued by the General Security Directorate on February 1, 2025, via the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). According to the statement, Mohammad Tayyara was arrested on the basis of a warrant issued by the Public Prosecutor’s Office for failing to resolve his legal status and for possessing unauthorized weapons. The statement added that during his detention, violations were committed by some security personnel responsible for his transfer, which led to his death. It also announced that a formal investigation had been launched under the supervision of the Public Prosecutor’s Office and that all the individuals involved had been arrested.
SNHR’s statement further notes that a second separate incident took place in the same period. On Thursday, January 30, 2025, the body of Ridwan Hussein Mohammad (born in 1999), from al-Shnyah village in western rural Homs, was returned to his family at the Homs Grand Hospital, five days after he was detained by General Security Directorate personnel on January 25, 2025, during a security campaign targeting former members of the Assad regime’s forces. Ridwan had previously volunteered with the Homs branch of the Assad regime’s Military Security Intelligence Directorate. According to sources close to his family, he was healthy when he was detained, but when his body was returned to them, it bore gunshot wounds to the head and signs of torture.
In a third similar incident, the statement adds, the body of Badr Mohi Sqour, from al-Kanisa village in western rural Homs governorate, was returned to his family on Saturday, February 1, 2025, at a hospital in Homs, 10 days after he was detained by General Security Directorate personnel on January 22, 2025, during a security campaign targeting former members of the Assad regime’s forces. According to the information we obtained, Sqour was healthy when he was detained, but when his body was returned to his family, it bore signs of torture and gunshot wounds.
The statement stresses that international law strictly prohibits all forms of torture, as well as cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. This prohibition is an absolute customary rule that cannot be violated under any circumstances, even in states of emergency. Furthermore, criminal responsibility for the crime of torture is not limited to the immediately involved perpetrators but extends to anyone who ordered, colluded in, or overlooked such acts, making them subject to prosecution and accountability before national and international courts.
To that end, the statement stressed the imperative necessity of accountability and of ending impunity, calling for:
- Conducting independent and transparent investigations into the circumstances of these crimes and holding all those involved accountable, from those who issued the orders to those who carried them out directly.
- Informing the Syrian public of the findings of the investigations and ensuring that the perpetrators do not escape justice.
- Implementing strict measures to prevent the recurrence of such crimes and ensuring the transitional government’s commitment to complying with international legal standards in all its security operations.
- Compensating the victims’ families for the material and moral losses they suffered as a result of these crimes.
- Reforming the judicial and security system to prevent future violations
1. Enacting new legislation that guarantees judicial independence and prohibits all forms of arbitrary detention.
2. Restructuring security agencies to align with international human rights standards.
6. Providing psychological and social support to victims
Establishing specialist programs for the rehabilitation of survivors of detention and torture, as well as support programs for the victims’ families.
- Strengthening oversight and accountability within security agencies
Forming independent monitoring committees to ensure that no violations occur during security campaigns.
- Improving communication with the public and enhancing transparency
1. Holding regular meetings with local community representatives to clarify security policies and prevent the targeting of specific groups.
2. Publishing periodic reports on arrests and releases to ensure transparency.
9. Respecting human rights during security operations
1. Training security forces on humane treatment methods for detainees.
2. Committing to ensuring the release of any former Assad regime suspect found not to have been involved in violations.
10. Expediting the legal status settlement procedures for wanted individuals
Establishing a fair mechanism for resolving the legal status of wanted individuals and encouraging their reintegration into society.
11. Involving civil society in decision-making:
Strengthening the role of local communities in decision-making mechanisms to ensure fair representation for all groups.
In conclusion, the statement condemned all acts of torture and affirmed that the continuation of practice of torture and unlawful detention undermines the foundations of justice and human rights, reopening the wounds of torture victims who have suffered for decades under the criminal practices of the Assad regime. Therefore, the transitional government bears the responsibility of demonstrating its genuine commitment to human rights through implementing concrete and practical measures that protect the dignity of all Syrians, including detainees, and contribute to building the foundations of a new phase based on the rule of law and accountability.