On Wednesday, May 28, 2025, unknown gunmen abducted two civilians near the village of Tarin. Nazir Shaaban Aliya who was born in 1977, and originally from the village of Tarin in the western countryside of Homs Governorate, and Abdo Abu Ali, born in 1982 and originally from the village of Al-Mashrafah in the eastern countryside of Homs Governorate.
According to what SNHR learned from local sources, an armed group driving a pickup truck abducted Nazir and his friend Abdo near the village of Tarin upon their return from one of Nazir’s cow farms. They were taken to an unknown location. Neither the party responsible for their abduction nor the reasons behind the incident are known. Their family confirmed that they had lost contact with them since the incident, raising growing concerns about their fate. The area where the abduction occurred is under the control of the transitional government forces.
Legal Conclusions
- The abduction of two civilians by armed men and their taking to an unknown location without disclosing their whereabouts or fate, and without allowing their families to contact them, constitutes enforced disappearance, even if the party responsible is not clearly identified.
- The unlawful deprivation of liberty through abduction and the absence of judicial proceedings violates Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees that no one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention.
- Given the dangerous conditions of unlawful detention and the absence of any judicial oversight or safeguards, there is concern for the safety of the abductee, which poses a direct threat to his right to life and physical and psychological integrity, guaranteed under Articles 6 and 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
- The continued abductions without identifying or prosecuting those responsible reflects an institutional failure to provide legal protection to civilians and perpetuates a climate of impunity, threatening to increase the frequency of these violations.
- The transitional government bears the legal responsibility to protect civilians and reveal the fate of the abductee, even if it was not the party that carried out the abduction.
Recommendations by SNHR
- Launch an immediate and comprehensive investigation into the kidnapping incident, under the supervision of an independent body, and work to determine the whereabouts and fate of the two victims, while taking all necessary measures to ensure their safety and return to their families.
- Publish the results of the investigation to the public, and clarify the steps taken by the authority controlling the area to uncover the circumstances of the incident and hold the perpetrators accountable. This will contribute to strengthening confidence in justice and the rule of law.
- Strengthening protection mechanisms in areas outside central control by monitoring armed groups, preventing any illegal activities, and activating local and international oversight.
- Providing psychological and legal support to the family of the abductee and appointing an official contact person to enable the family to follow up on the abductee’s condition and receive updates on the progress of the investigation.
- Launching civil awareness campaigns to combat the culture of extrajudicial kidnapping, and encouraging families to report cases, while ensuring protection for survivors and witnesses.
