Syrian authorities arrest human rights activist on border with Lebanon
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Syrian authorities arrested on Wednesday journalist and human rights activist Amer Matar at the Jdaidit Yabws border crossing with Lebanon.
Matar, a former political prisoner under the al-Assad regime, is a key witness in the Koblenz trial in Germany against former members of the Syrian security services accused of crimes against humanity.
He is the founder of Syria Prisons Museum, a web-based institution using 3D walkthroughs, survivor testimony, and a searchable archive to document decades of detentions under the Assad family and to support future accountability efforts.
The museum’s staff said that they have been denied information regarding Matar’s location or the authority responsible for holding him.
The institution condemned the arrest as unlawful and described it as a continuation of the arbitrary detention practices of the previous regime.
It held Syrian authorities, particularly the Ministry of Interior, fully responsible for Matar’s safety and demanded immediate disclosure of his whereabouts, clarification of the reasons for his arrest, and his unconditional release.
In response, the Ministry of Interior issued a statement claiming that Matar had used his activities to illegally obtain security-related documents for personal purposes.
The ministry said Matar had previously been summoned but failed to appear, leading to his arrest at the border and referral to the competent authorities for further investigation.