Protests Erupt in Syria Over Alleged Torture Death

Protests erupt in Syria following the death of a man allegedly tortured while in custody, sparking outrage and demands for accountability.

Syrians have taken to the streets in protest over the death of a man who was allegedly tortured by security forces after his arrest. The case has triggered widespread anger against a practice that many believed had ceased following the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

A crowd gathered in Aleppo, voicing demands for accountability from the security forces alleged to be responsible for the abuse. Protesters held signs with slogans like, “Do not repeat the same oppression that we revolted against.” Plans for further demonstrations were announced to take place in front of Syria’s parliament in Damascus on Tuesday.

Mohammad Ghamira, a 29-year-old former volunteer with the White Helmets and a father of two, visited a police station in Latakia last week amidst accusations of theft. He emerged critically injured and subsequently died in the hospital on Sunday due to complications from cerebral and gastrointestinal hemorrhaging, which were said to be the result of a beating he received while in detention, according to Raed al-Saleh, the former head of the White Helmets and current minister of emergency and disaster management.

A shocking image showing Ghamira pre-detention, healthy and smiling, next to another picture of him unconscious in a hospital bed bearing bruises went viral, and incited further outrage across Syria.

Prior to Ghamira’s detention, his parents had informed the police station chief that he suffered from hemophilia, a condition complicating bleeding. They cautioned against any physical mistreatment, yet Ghamira was allegedly beaten while in custody, as confirmed by his uncle, Issam Ghamira, in statements to Syrian state media.

In response to these events, the Syrian interior ministry initiated an inquiry into Ghamira’s death and announced the detention of seven members of its staff for questioning. Interior Minister Anas Khattab expressed his commitment to ensuring a fair punishment for any involved parties upon completion of the investigation. “I confirm that any violation or abuse by the elements of the ministry of interior will be dealt with firmly within the laws and procedures followed, and any violator will receive his fair punishment,” stated Khattab on the social media platform X.

Spokesperson for the interior ministry, Nour al-Din al-Baba, acknowledged issues within the ministry but insisted justice would be served. The investigative committee met with Ghamira’s family on Tuesday to update them on the inquiry’s progress.

Despite these assurances, many Syrians remain furious at the claims of ongoing torture, a grim continuity of the systematic brutality that has marred the country for over a decade. Following the 2011 protests against Assad’s government, mass detention and torture became a hallmark of his regime.

The current government, primarily composed of former members of the Islamist rebel group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), successfully overthrew al-Assad in December 2024, promising a cessation of the abuses characteristic of Assad’s police state. However, rights organizations have asserted that reports of torture are rampant in Syrian detention centers, suggesting a revival of abusive practices.

According to Syrians for Truth and Justice, there have been 14 recorded cases of torture or deaths occurring in custody between June 2025 and June 2026, indicating that the shift in political power has not effectively dismantled the structures enabling torture.

Testimonies collected by STJ reveal severe beatings, electric shocks, humiliation, and deprivation of essential needs within various security agencies, pointing to a disorganized pattern of abuse rather than a coordinated directive from security agencies. They linked this with a lack of oversight and accountability for the militias and security forces, contrasting it with the clear state policy of torture that characterized al-Assad’s regime.

This finding echoes the results of a UN independent commission of inquiry conducted in March, which documented instances of torture and abuse in 30 official and makeshift detention facilities throughout Syria in the past year.

Civil society groups are now advocating for protests and demanding accountability, referencing the tremendous sacrifices made by those who have suffered under torture in the quest for freedom in Syria. “So many sacrificed dearly for freedom and dignity, to close the dark chapter of their country’s history and to end these practices forever,” stated Diab Serieh from the Association of Detainees and the Missing in Sednaya Prison. “Justice for Ghamira, and for all those forcibly disappeared and tortured in detention, remains an unwavering demand that we will never abandon.”