Syria: Police investigator referred to court after young man's death following arrest - Sarmad

An official committee, appointed by Syrian authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of a young man suffering from hemophilia in a police station, has referred one of the investigators to the judiciary after concluding that he slapped the detainee during interrogation.

The Internal Security Directorate in the Latakia governorate detained seven members of the Al-Haffah town police station on Sunday, following the death of the detainee, Mohammed Ghumaira, 29.

The Ministry of Emergency Affairs and Disaster Management issued a tribute to him as one of its personnel, stating that he died from complications of internal bleeding in his brain and digestive system resulting from the beating he suffered after his arrest.

Major General Ahmed Latouf, head of the investigation committee and deputy minister of interior for police affairs, announced the referral of investigator Ahmad Jawad to the public prosecution in Latakia.

He added at a press conference that the Ministry of Interior had been tasked with expanding the disciplinary investigation to include the station commander and another investigator.

Based on testimonies from detainees and station personnel, the committee concluded that Jawad slapped the detainee during the interrogation, despite being informed by the station commander of the detainee’s special medical condition.