Kidnapping phenomenon in regime-held areas | Criminals demand ransom to release civilian
Local sources have informed SOHR that a gang has kidnapped a civilian on the highway between Damascus and Homs two days ago, while he was heading to the capital to receive medication.
The civilian is from Mabroka Al-Sharqiyah village in the western countryside of Al-Dirbasiyah in Al-Hasakah, and works as an accountant in Al-Dirbasiyah town.
It is worth noting that the kidnappers demanded a ransom of 15,000 U.S dollars to release the civilian.
Syria’s law punishes kidnappers of children for the purpose of collecting ransom to 10 to 20 years in prison, as well as a fine of a double of the requested ransom. It is worth noting that the law includes a section for punishing perpetrators of kidnappings for political purposes, retaliation or sectarian motives, where these perpetrators are sentenced to life in prison according to the legislative decree No. 20 of 2013. If the kidnapping leads to the death of the victim or permanent disabilities or the victim is subjected to sexual abuse, then the kidnappers are sentenced to life imprisonment or death.
We, at the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), warn against the repercussions of violating and non-complying with international accords signed by Syria, as well as the ongoing indifference by the warring powers in Syria to the issue of detainees and forcibly disappeared. We also appeal to the international community to seriously intensify its efforts to disclose the fate of the detainees and forcibly disappeared people, and identify and hold the perpetrators accountable
SOHR attaches the highest importance to this issue of detainees and always strives to highlight their and their families’ plight and sufferings. SOHR also warns against using “terrorism” as an excuse to arrest politicians and human rights activists, using laws of counter-terrorism to justify arbitrary arrests.
We also call for the inspection of prisons in the entire Syrian geography, especially in regime-held areas, so that the real issue and conditions of detainees are unveiled. Furthermore, the fate of the missing and detainees who have been killed must be disclosed.