On Tuesday, October 14, 2025, civilian Oqla Muhammad Swati, a 65-year-old resident of the Ghweiran neighborhood in Hasakah City, was arbitrarily arrested by members of the Syrian Democratic Forces in Hasakah City, which is under their control.
According to information we obtained from reliable local sources, the members raided Oqla Muhammad Swati’s home in the Ghweiran neighborhood and, after arresting him, took him to an unknown location. The sources also confirmed that the arrest/detention was carried out without an arrest warrant issued by an official authority and was carried out in a humiliating manner.
The network received reports that the Syrian Democratic Forces released Aqla Swati the day after his arrest, under media pressure and the intervention of tribal leaders in the area. Accordingly, the network updated the details of the incident on October 19.
We are continuing our 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:
Legal Conclusions:
- This arrest, without an official warrant, clear charges, or referral to 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 detainee to an unknown location and preventing them from communicating with their families or a lawyer 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 fundamental guarantees governing criminal proceedings.
- The degrading treatment of the detainee constitutes torture, which is prohibited at all times.
SNHR’s Recommendations:
- Immediately and unconditionally release the detainee in this incident, or bring him before a civilian court that meets the conditions for a fair trial, 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.
