On Monday, August 18, 2025, residents found the body of Muhammad Hasan al-Fitroti, a resident of the village of al-Mazra’a, west of Homs, on the western outskirts of the village. His body bore signs of gunfire. The area is under the control of the transitional government.
According to what the Syrian Network for Human Rights documented through reliable local sources, Muhammad was kidnapped by unknown gunmen in the Baba Amr orchards area of Homs on Saturday, February 22, 2025. His body was later found in the village of al-Mazra’a. His body was transferred to the Greater Homs Hospital in the al-Waer neighborhood.
We are continuing our investigations, including reviewing and gathering more evidence and information. Therefore, we hope that anyone with information or details related to this incident will provide them to us via our official email address: [email protected]
Legal Conclusions:
- The discovery of the victim’s body bearing gunshot wounds, without any record of an armed clash, arrest warrant, or any judicial proceedings, indicates the possibility of extrajudicial execution. This constitutes a flagrant violation of Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees the right to life.
- The disappearance of the victim, then his or her death, constitutes a form of enforced disappearance, which is prohibited under the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.
- Given that the area is under the control of the transitional government, the occurrence of this crime within its jurisdiction without preventive measures constitutes a failure to implement the state’s duty to protect the right to life and personal security. This violates the principle of the “duty to protect,” which obliges authorities to prevent violations in areas under their control.
Syrian Network for Human Rights Recommendations:
- Open an urgent, impartial, and transparent criminal investigation to identify those responsible for the killing of Mahmoud Ghasa, with the involvement of independent forensic experts, and make the results of the investigation public.
- The transitional government must assume its security responsibilities by activating monitoring and response mechanisms to protect civilians in rural areas and intensifying patrols in areas with civilian activity.
- Providing urgent compensation to the victims’ families, including material and moral support, as well as psychological and social support for their families, as they are victims of extrajudicial killing.
- Establish a database of unidentified killings and enforced disappearances to identify patterns and facilitate future legal accountability measures, within the framework of legal justice.
