Syria detains policeman over death of White Helmets rescuer hit in custody

For context, a Syrian police officer has been arrested and may be criminally prosecuted after an investigation discovered that he hit a detainee with a medical condition who died shortly after being issued from custody.

Key points

• Syria's Interior Ministry remarked on Thursday that Mohammad Ghamira, 29, died after being slapped by police investigator Ahmad Jawad.
• Reporting from Syria's northwestern port city of Latakia, Al Jazeera's Heidi Pett remarked the Syrian administration has vowed to take further action.
• Commenting on Ghamira's death on Thursday, the Interior Ministry accused Jawad of violating ministerial instructions and the code of conduct.
• Ghamira's death has provoked widespread anger among Syrians, reminding plenty of of the gross human rights abuses that were systematic under former President Bashar al-Assad.
• The father of two was a member of the White Helmets, the civil defence organisation created up of volunteers that operated in rebel-held areas in Syria.

Syria's Interior Ministry remarked on Thursday that Mohammad Ghamira, 29, died after being slapped by police investigator Ahmad Jawad. This person has since been detained and referred to the public prosecutor.

Ghamira, who died on Sunday, suffered from haemophilia, a rare condition that prevents blood from clotting properly, making sufferers bleed more easily and for longer periods.

Notably, the father of two was a member of the White Helmets, the civil defence organisation created up of volunteers that operated in rebel-held areas in Syria. They went on search and rescue operations and provided medical care after administration attacks.

While his wife twice informed authorities concerning the potential danger, the investigation discovered that Ghamira had informed internal security personnel regarding his condition.

Ahmad Latouf, head of the investigation committee and assistant interior minister for police affairs, confirmed that Ghamira died after suffering a brain haemorrhage believed to have been caused by the slap.

Two other police officers are additionally being investigated but are not at present due to be prosecuted.

Ghamira's death has provoked widespread anger among Syrians, reminding plenty of of the gross human rights abuses that were systematic under former President Bashar al-Assad. This person was overthrown by rebels in December 2024.

New leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has promised to usher in a new era, prioritising human rights and overseeing an inclusive administration. Nevertheless, human rights organisations have documented widespread abuses by administration forces, particularly against minority groups.

Commenting on Ghamira's death on Thursday, the Interior Ministry accused Jawad of violating ministerial instructions and the code of conduct. It strictly prohibit any form of humiliating or abusive treatment of detainees.

Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab remarked in an official note that the investigation results demonstrated the ministry's "commitment to reaching the truth and holding accountable those proven to have overstepped".

"We rose up against the former tyrant's regime in rejection of injustice and impunity, and therefore, building a state of law begins with our ability to hold the wrongdoer accountable, to give restitution to the victim, and not to do injustice to anyone who has not been proven responsible" for wrongdoing, he remarked.

"There will be surveillance put into police stations and better training provided to officers but they say all of this will take time, " Pett remarked.

"Part of the reason it has resonated so widely is since of who Mohammad was. He was a young man, 29 years old, and he had two children and was a volunteer with the White Helmets. They were basically seen as heroes. His father joined the revolution and so he's a figure who plenty of residents here in his community and nationally respected, " she continued.

"That's part of why there's been so much sadness and anger and it's additionally the fact that Mohammad is not the first to be mistreated in detention by the new authorities. Syrian rights organisations have documented other cases of deaths in detention."

Ghamira was arrested last week accused of theft. He was afterwards issued and died at a hospital in Latakia on Sunday.

As well as no skull fractures or traumatic wounds, during a forensic examination, medical experts discovered no visible signs of violence or severe force.

In short, syria detains policeman over death of White Helmets rescuer hit in custody is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.