Giath Bakir from Saraqib city in the northern suburbs of Idlib governorate, who lives in Binnesh city in Idlib governorate northern suburbs, was arrested by Hay’at Tahrir al Sham personnel on March 1, 2022, in a raid on his home over criticism of HTS’ Syrian Salvation Government and armed opposition factions published on his Facebook account, and was taken to an undisclosed location.
SNHR notes that no members of Giath’s family were informed of his arrest, while his phone was confiscated, and he wasn’t allowed to contact his family. We fear he may be subjected to torture and go on to become forcibly disappeared, as is the case with 85% of all detainees in Syria.
SNHR calls for financial and psychological restitution for all victims and their families, as well as for an end to all arbitrary detention, and for the fate of hundreds of individuals forcibly disappeared by regime forces to be revealed. We note that these arrests are carried out with the objective of spreading fear and terror in the community and blackmailing the detainees’ families. We have additional, well-founded fears for the detainees’ wellbeing due to the spread of COVID-19.
