On Saturday, May 10, 2025, Ms. Jamila Nasser Al-Rifai, a resident of the town of Atman in the suburbs of Daraa Governorate, died after being shot while one of her sons was cleaning a firearm inside the family home.
According to information obtained by SNHR from local sources, Ms. Al-Rifai was shot accidentally in the morning and died later in the evening during an attempt to treat her wounds.
Legal Conclusions
- This incident reflects a serious shortcoming in regulating the possession and storage of weapons in civilian areas. This contradicts the state’s duty to take preventative measures against the possession of weapons within homes, as well as international principles related to community security.
- The uncontrolled presence of firearms reflects a disturbing spread of a gun culture within residential areas, threatening public safety and highlighting the absence of serious policies to control weapons and restrict them to official institutions.
- Although the death resulted from a domestic accident, the transitional government bears part of the responsibility for regulating the proliferation of weapons, educating the population about their dangers, and controlling the environment in which they are used by civilians.
Recommendations by SNHR
Enact and implement strict legislation regulating the possession of weapons, prohibiting their presence inside homes without licenses and clear conditions, including safe storage, and criminalizing negligent handling.
Implement extensive community awareness campaigns, in cooperation with civil society organizations, to educate families about the dangers of weapons inside homes and the need to report unsafe possession.
Strengthen oversight of the circulation of individual weapons by establishing periodic inspection mechanisms and a national registry of weapon holders in areas under the control of the transitional government.
Launch community-based child protection programs that combine awareness-raising in schools and community centers and engage parents in fostering a safe environment for children at home.
Authorities bear legal responsibility for any negligence that results in civilian death or injury and must take clear criminal action against those who violate gun ownership laws or cause their misuse within residential areas.
