On Tuesday, May 20, 2025, civilian Muhammad Hajras al-Marzouq, a resident of the al-Mashlab neighborhood in Raqqa city, was arbitrarily arrested by members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the al-Mashlab neighborhood, which is under their control.
According to information we obtained from reliable local sources, officers raided Mohammed’s home on Haram Street in the Al-Mashlab neighborhood in the early morning hours. After arresting him, they took him to an unknown location. The sources also confirmed that the arrest/detention was carried out without an official warrant and was carried out in a humiliating manner.
Legal Conclusions
- This arrest, without an official arrest warrant, without clear charges or bringing him before a competent judicial authority, constitutes a violation of Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which prohibits arbitrary arrest and requires that the detainee be informed of the reason for his arrest and be able to challenge it before the judiciary.
- Taking a detainee to an unknown location and preventing them from communicating with their families or a lawyer represents them is classified as 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 a detainee’s phone without a legal warrant violates the right to private property and constitutes an arbitrary practice that contravenes fundamental safeguards governing criminal procedure.
- Carrying out the arrest in a humiliating manner falls within the framework of torture, which is prohibited at all times.
Recommendations by SNHR
- Immediately and unconditionally release the detainee in this incident, or bring them before a civilian court that meets the conditions for a fair trial, if there are genuine legal charges against them.
- Open a transparent and independent investigation into the conditions of their detention, particularly into the allegations of degrading treatment, and hold those responsible for the violations accountable.
- Allow them to communicate with their families and lawyers representing them, and ensure their physical and psychological safety during their detention, in accordance with international standards.
