On Tuesday, June 17, 2025, unknown gunmen kidnapped civilian Naja Hassan Youssef, a resident of the town of Slenfa in the Latakia countryside, in front of his workplace in the town.
According to reliable local sources, the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) obtained a report that a civilian, Naja, was kidnapped by an armed group after he finished work at the Neighbors of the Moon restaurant he owns in the town. The group took him to an unknown location, with neither the party responsible for his abduction nor the reasons behind the incident known. His family confirmed that they had lost contact with him since the incident, raising growing concerns about his fate.
It should be noted that the area where the kidnapping occurred is under the control of transitional government forces. The network is still working to gather eyewitness accounts to verify and fully document the circumstances of the incident.
Legal Conclusions
- The abduction of a civilian by armed men and their taking to an unknown location without disclosing their whereabouts or fate, and without allowing their family to contact them, constitutes enforced disappearance, even if the party responsible is not clearly identified.
- The unlawful deprivation of liberty through abduction and the absence of judicial proceedings constitutes a violation of Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees that no one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention.
- Given the dangerous conditions of unlawful detention and the absence of any judicial oversight or safeguards, there is concern for the safety of the abductee, posing a direct threat to their right to life and physical and psychological integrity, guaranteed under Articles 6 and 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
- The continuation of abductions without identifying or prosecuting those responsible perpetuates a climate of impunity, threatening to increase the frequency of these violations.
- The transitional government bears the legal responsibility for protecting civilians and revealing the fate of the kidnapped person, even if it was not the party that carried out the kidnapping.
Recommendations by SNHR
- Launch an immediate and comprehensive investigation into the kidnapping incident, under the supervision of an independent body, and work to determine the victim’s location and fate, while taking all necessary measures to ensure his safety and return to his family.
- Publish the results of the investigation to the public, and clarify the steps taken by the authority controlling the area to uncover the circumstances of the incident and hold the perpetrators accountable. This will contribute to strengthening confidence in justice and the rule of law.
- Strengthen protection mechanisms in areas outside central control by monitoring armed groups, preventing any illegal activities, and activating local and international oversight.
- Providing psychological and legal support to the abductee’s family, and appointing an official contact person to enable the family to follow up on the abductee’s case and receive updates on the investigation.
- Launching civil awareness campaigns to combat the culture of extrajudicial abduction, encouraging families to report cases, and ensuring protection for survivors and witnesses.
