On Saturday, May 24, 2025, Shadi Mahmoud Faskha, a young man from the village of Majdalun al-Bahr in the Tartous countryside, was killed. He worked at a men’s barbershop. He was shot by unknown gunmen while he was in front of his shop in the village. As of the time of publication, the identity of the perpetrators remains unknown. The area is under the control of the transitional government.
According to what SNHR documented from reliable local sources, Shadi was shot by gunmen in a car while he was in front of his shop in the village, resulting in his death. Public Security Forces arrived at the scene and opened an investigation into the incident.
SNHR is still collecting eyewitness testimonies to verify the circumstances of the incident and fully document it.
Legal Conclusions
- The killing of civilian Shadi Faskha by direct gunfire by unknown gunmen, without any legal justification or engagement, constitutes an extrajudicial killing and constitutes a grave violation of Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which stipulates that the right to life is inherent to every human being and that no one may be arbitrarily deprived of it.
- Indiscriminate shooting by an armed group not subject to official control, in a civilian area, is an indication of the state’s inability to fulfill its obligations to protect the civilian population, which is in violation of the principle of the “duty to protect” binding on de facto authorities under international law.
- The fact that the armed men are unidentified does not detract from the transitional government’s responsibility to maintain security. Rather, the failure to contain civil conflicts or the behavior of local armed groups constitutes a direct failure to enforce the rule of law.
- If perpetrators are not identified and prosecuted, this reinforces the pattern of impunity, undermines civilian confidence in justice, and creates a dangerous environment for the recurrence of these crimes.
Recommendations by SNHR
- Open an urgent, impartial, and transparent investigation, under the supervision of independent judicial authorities, to uncover the circumstances of the crime and identify the perpetrators, while ensuring the protection of witnesses and the documentation of evidence.
- Holding the transitional government fully responsible for protecting public and civilian facilities, including deploying security checkpoints, activating surveillance devices, and tightening control over unofficial armed groups.
- Criminally prosecuting all those involved, including any parties or local groups involved in the shooting, and bringing them to fair and public trials that guarantee the rights of victims and their families.
- Providing material and moral compensation to the victim’s family, as part of reparations in accordance with international standards.
- Launching a local awareness campaign on respect for the rule of law and the rejection of random weapons, with the participation of local community leaders, to combat irregular armament and tribal violence.
