Amnesty International urges investigation into women abductions in Syria
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Amnesty International on Monday called on the Syrian transitional government to immediately launch a thorough, transparent, and impartial investigation into a wave of abductions targeting Alawite women and girls in the country’s coastal regions.
In a report, the organization documented eight daylight abductions in particular—five adult women and three girls under the age of 18—all belonging to the Alawite community.
“The authorities in Syria have repeatedly promised to build a Syria for all Syrians, yet they are failing to stop abductions and kidnappings of women and girls, to prevent physical abuse, forced marriage and likely trafficking in persons, to effectively investigate and to prosecute those responsible,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.
“The Alawite community, already devastated by previous massacres, has been deeply shaken by this wave of abductions. Women and girls are afraid to leave the house or walk alone,” Callamard added.
She emphasized that all women in Syria deserve to live free from fear, abuse, and discrimination, and that investigations must be prompt, thorough, and led by independent investigators with full access to necessary resources.
Accountability must be pursued, and reparation should be provided. A failure to do so is a human rights violation,” Callamard stressed.
The call by Amnesty follows the release of the final report by Syria’s National Committee for Investigation and Fact-Finding last Tuesday regarding recent incidents in the coastal region.
Since February, Amnesty has received credible reports of the abduction of at least 36 Alawite women and girls, aged between three and thirty-three, across the governorates of Latakia, Tartus, Homs, and Hama. The perpetrators remain unidentified.