On Thursday, May 22, 2025, members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) arbitrarily arrested civilians Saleh al-Aboud and his wife Fatima, both residents of Raqqa city, as they passed through a SDF checkpoint on the farms’ road in the western countryside of Raqqa governorate, which is under SDF control. At the time of writing, the destination to which they were taken remains unknown, and the reasons for their arrest remain unknown.
The sources confirmed that the arrests were carried out without a legal warrant or court order, and without informing any of the detainees’ relatives of their whereabouts. Their phones were confiscated, preventing them from communicating with their families. The Syrian Network for Human Rights fears that they may be subjected to torture and may be classified as forcibly disappeared.
Legal Conclusions
- This arrest, without an official warrant, clear charges, or bringing the detainee before a competent judicial authority, constitutes a violation of Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which prohibits arbitrary detention and requires that the detainee be informed of the reasons for their arrest and be able to challenge it before a court.
- Taking the detainees to an unknown location and preventing them from communicating with their families or lawyers constitutes enforced disappearance, prohibited under the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, which affirms the right to know the whereabouts of detainees and to protect them from ill-treatment.
- Confiscating detainees’ phones without a warrant violates the right to private property and constitutes an arbitrary practice that contravenes fundamental safeguards governing criminal procedure.
- Carrying out arrests in a degrading manner constitutes torture, which is prohibited at all times.
Recommendations by SNHR
- Immediately and unconditionally release the detainees in this incident or bring them before a civilian court that meets the conditions for a fair trial, if there are genuine legal charges against them.
- Open a transparent and independent investigation into the conditions of their detention, particularly into the allegations of degrading treatment, and hold those responsible accountable.
- Allow them to communicate with their families and lawyers representing them and ensure their physical and psychological safety during their detention, in accordance with international standards.
