On Monday, June 2, 2025, civilian Gabriel Samir Shamoun, from the city of Qamishli in the northern countryside of Hasakah Governorate, was arbitrarily arrested by members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the city of Qamishli, which is under their control.
According to information we obtained from reliable local sources, the elements raided his workplace inside an internet service store in the Al-Wusta neighborhood in the city of Qamishli. The arrest was accompanied by physical assault on a number of civilians, including a woman, who were present inside his store at the time of his arrest. After his arrest, he was taken to an unknown location. The sources also confirmed that the arrest/detention took place without an arrest warrant issued by an official authority 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 him from communicating with his family or a lawyer representing him is classified as enforced disappearance and is 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 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 degrading manner constitutes torture, which is prohibited at all times.
Recommendations by SNHR
- 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.
- Open a transparent and independent investigation into the conditions of his detention, particularly into the allegations of degrading treatment, and hold those responsible for the violations accountable.
- Allow 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.
