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20 August 2010
Syria : Two further deaths at the hands of the security services
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Following massive public outcry in Egypt in recent months over the beating to death of young Khaled Said by Egyptian security forces in Cairo, evidence is now emerging from Syria that they are confronted with a similarly brutal execution of a young man by its security forces in Damascus.
On 27 May 2010, agents of the Damascus branch of the Criminal Security Forces in uniform entered the popular Al-Hamidiyeh Souk in Damascus and arrested Jalal Al-Kubaisi, 33 years old, who was working as a «washish» (the practice of enticing clients to visit a shop). This practice is forbidden according to Syrian law and is punishable by a 5 dollar fine. However, rather than fine Jalal, the agents took him to an unknown location and refused to inform his family of his whereabouts.
On the evening of 31 May, Criminal Security Forces agents came to Al-Kubaisi's family home and informed his family that Jalal was unwell. The agents returned the next day, saying that Jalal "had fallen on the ground, that he was transferred to Al-Mojathed hospital, but that he had not survived."
The family immediately went to the hospital and found Jalal's body in a terrible state, bruised all over. Co-detainees informed the family that 5 members of the Criminal Security Forces had taken turns beating him all over his body and head. The family filed a complaint with the Prosecutor General who ordered a medical report. On 7 June 2010, the report was issued, stating that "death was caused by collision with a blunt object and the body was covered with numerous bruises" but that "it was impossible to determine the causes of these collisions and the bruising." No criminal proceedings were therefore initiated.
Alkarama submitted Jalal's case to the Special Rapporteur on Summary Executions on 16 August 2010 along with the case of Wadee' Sha'bouk, 53 years old, who was beaten to death at the headquarters of the Criminal Security services in Aleppo on 13 May 2010. Alkarama will continue to follow these two cases, and will inform the Special Rapporteur of whether or not the Syrian authorities respect their obligations under international law to initiate an independent investigation into these two executions.