Ismail Dandash

On 27 June 2012, 35-year-old trader Ismail Dandash was in a taxi with his cousin and other relatives, when they were stopped at the airport checkpoint on Damascus Airport Motorway by members of the Military – some in uniform and some in civilian clothes. The officers immediately arrested Ismail, his cousin and the taxi driver and took them to an unknown location. After his disappearance, Ismail’s wife inquired about his whereabouts in the Al Zabaltani court, but to no avail.

Farzat Khaled

Three months after Ismail’s disappearance, on 24 September 2012, 38-year-old driver Farzat Khaled was travelling with his family by bus on their way to Damascus, when they were stopped at a checkpoint at the main roundabout of Tadmur, Homs Governorate, by members of the Military Security in civilian clothes and uniforms. The officers first checked the passengers’ IDs and after checking Khaled’s document, arrested him before taking him to an unknown location. His family was prevented from continuing its trip to Damascus. After Farzat’s arrest, his family searched for him at a prison in Al-Qabun – few kilometres north-east of Damascus – where they were informed that “he was dead”; however, the family was later informally told that he was still alive and detained by the Military Intelligence in Damascus.

Ahmad Al Abed

Six months later, on 25 February 2013, 52-year-old taxi driver Ahmad Al Abed was arrested at the checkpoint located between the neighbourhoods of Al Qadam and Zahraa in Damascus during an arrest raid conducted by the State Security Forces. After his disappearance, Al Abed’s family filed a complaint with the Public Prosecutor on 4 March 2013, but received no reply.

Siraj Othman

More recently, on 25 May 2015, 40-year-old Siraj Othman was driving to work in As-Suwayda, where he had been working for two years, when he was stopped at a checkpoint in As-Suwayda’s main road, where members of the Military Security arrested him and took him to an unknown location. Later that day, a member of the Military Security went to Siraj’s house to inquire about his family to his wife. Three months after his arrest, another officer from the Military Security went to his house again to further inquire about his family. Fearing arrest, his family did not file any complaints about his disappearance.

“The practice of enforced disappearance in Syria is systematic and widespread, as shown by the numerous cases documented by Alkarama, says Inès Osman, Alkarama’s Legal Coordinator. Most victims of this crime are randomly arrested at military checkpoints. Families of victims often avoid reporting the disappearance for fear of suffering the same fate and even when they do speak out, they are faced with the absolute denial of the authorities.”

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