On Tuesday, August 24, 2025, 14-year-old Omar Hussein al-Rahmawi, from the village of al-Qubba, located in the city of Ayn al-Arab in the eastern countryside of Aleppo Governorate, was arbitrarily arrested by members of the Syrian Democratic Forces in the village of al-Qubba, which is under their control.
According to information we obtained from reliable local sources, the members raided the child Ali’s home in the village and, after arresting him, took him to an unknown location. The sources confirmed that the arrest/detention was carried out without an arrest warrant issued by an official authority. The members also destroyed his furniture and confiscated a sum of money belonging to the child’s family. The arrest was carried out in a humiliating manner.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights reports that his phone was confiscated and he was prevented from communicating with his family. We fear that he may be subjected to torture and may be forcibly disappeared.
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: [email protected]
Legal Conclusions:
- This arrest without an official warrant, without clear charges, or without 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 child to an unknown location and preventing him from communicating with his family or a lawyer represents him, 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 the detainee’s phone without a legal warrant violates the right to private property and constitutes an arbitrary practice that contravenes the fundamental guarantees governing criminal proceedings.
- Carrying out the arrest in a degrading manner falls within the framework of torture, which is prohibited at all times.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights’ recommendations:
- Immediately and unconditionally release the child in this incident, or bring him before a civilian court where fair trial conditions are met, if there are genuine legal charges against him.
- Initiate a transparent and independent investigation into the circumstances of his detention, particularly into the allegations of degrading treatment, and hold those responsible for the violations accountable.
- Enable him to communicate with his family and a lawyer to represent him, and ensure his physical and psychological safety during his detention, in accordance with international standards.
