On Saturday, October 4, 2025, the Syrian Network for Human Rights documented the arbitrary detention by Israeli occupation forces of Muhammad Turki al-Samouri, Mahmoud Mazid al-Baridi, and Muhammad Mahna al-Baridi, all residents of the village of Jamla in the Yarmouk Basin area in the western Daraa countryside. This detention occurred during a ground incursion supported by military vehicles into the village.
According to information obtained by the Network from its field teams, the Israeli occupation forces detained them while they were passing through a temporary checkpoint established by Israeli occupation forces in the village of Jamla. They were forcibly transferred to an unknown location, which constitutes arbitrary detention, prohibited under international human rights law.
We continue to conduct investigations, including reviewing and gathering further 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 detention of the three civilians without a judicial warrant, a clear security imperative, or charges, and without respect for fair trial guarantees, constitutes arbitrary detention under Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which prohibits deprivation of liberty without legal basis.
- Since the detained civilians are residents of a temporarily occupied territory (due to the Israeli military incursion), their forcible transfer to an unknown location constitutes a violation of Articles 49 and 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibit the forcible transfer and unlawful detention of protected persons.
- According to Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions (Article 75), all detained persons must be treated humanely, with respect for their legal rights. This requirement was not respected in this case, neither in terms of the legal basis for the detention, nor in terms of its duration or location.
- The Israeli military incursion and detention operations inside Syrian territory constitute a flagrant violation of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity of any Member State. It constitutes an act of aggression that contravenes the rules of international law.
- Detaining civilians from their villages is a repressive measure that impacts economic and social rights and indicates the targeting of civilians based on their local environment or geographical location. This conduct is retaliatory and prohibited.
- Repeated incursions, the occupation of military bases inside Syria, and the implementation of security operations and detentions are practices that perpetuate an unrecognized occupation and may pave the way for demographic change or the imposition of a de facto military authority, threatening broader grave violations.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights’ recommendations:
- A clear international condemnation of the unlawful detention by the Israeli occupation forces, considering it a violation of the Geneva Conventions and the UN Charter, requiring legal accountability.
- Calling on the UN Security Council and Human Rights Council to investigate the incident, through mechanisms such as the International Independent Mechanism (IIIM), and documenting it within the pattern of Israeli violations in southern Syria.
- Demanding that Israel disclose details of the detention process, provide public legal justifications, and compensate the detained civilians for the violations they suffered, including material and moral damage.
- Deploying international monitoring forces or expanding the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) to include monitoring cases of detention and violations against civilians in the Syrian border areas.
- Activating international criminal accountability tools, especially the International Criminal Court (ICC), to consider classifying these practices as war crimes related to unlawful detention in occupied or disputed territories.
- Improving civilian protection in conflict zones by establishing local early warning networks and documenting unauthorized foreign troop movements, in cooperation with local civil society organizations and human rights activists.
