On Tuesday, September 16, 2025, Malek Hussein Imad, a resident of the village of Aysam, west of Rif Dimashq Governorate, was shot dead by unknown gunmen. The identity of the perpetrators remains unknown at the time of publication. The area is under Syrian government control.
According to what the Syrian Network for Human Rights documented from reliable local sources, unknown gunmen targeted Malek while he was herding sheep in the vicinity of his village. They opened direct fire, resulting in his immediate injury and death.
We are continuing our investigations, including reviewing and gathering more 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:
- The killing of Malek Imad by direct fire by unknown gunmen, without any legal justification or engagement, constitutes an extrajudicial killing and constitutes a grave violation of Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which stipulates that the right to life is inherent in every human being and that no one may be arbitrarily deprived of it.
- Indiscriminate shooting by an armed group outside official control in a vital civilian area constitutes a failure to fulfill the state’s obligations to protect civilians, contravening the principle of the “duty to protect” binding on de facto authorities under international law.
- The fact that the gunmen are unknown does not diminish the transitional government’s responsibility to maintain security. The inability to contain civil conflicts or the behavior of local armed groups impacts the enforcement of the rule of law.
- If the perpetrators are not identified and prosecuted, this reinforces a pattern of impunity, undermines civilian confidence in justice, and creates a dangerous environment for the recurrence of these crimes.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights’ recommendations:
- Open an urgent, impartial, and transparent investigation, under the supervision of independent judicial authorities, to uncover the circumstances of the crime and identify the perpetrators, while ensuring the protection of witnesses and the documentation of evidence.
- The transitional government must protect vital areas, including by deploying security checkpoints, activating surveillance equipment, and tightening control over unofficial armed groups.
- Criminally prosecute all those involved, including any parties or local groups involved in the shooting, and bring them to fair and public trials that guarantee the rights of victims and their families.
- Providing material and moral compensation to the victim’s family, as part of reparations in accordance with international standards.
- Launching a local awareness campaign on respect for the rule of law and the rejection of random weapons, with the participation of local community leaders, to combat irregular armament and tribal violence.
