HRW warns of mob attacks, sectarian incitement amid Syria protests
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Tuesday that demonstrations demanding accountability for crimes committed during the rule of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad coincided with a rise in vigilante violence and identity-based incitement in several parts of Syria.
The rights group said protests between June 13 and 17 spread across Aleppo, Idlib, Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa and Damascus governorates, while attacks and threats targeted people accused of ties to the former government.
HRW urged Syrian authorities to ensure that security forces protect those accused of links to the Assad era from mob justice and prevent collective punishment against communities, particularly religious minorities.
“Syrians have every right to demand justice, but justice should never become a pretext for targeting people simply because of their religion or background,” Hiba Zayadin, senior Syria researcher at HRW, said in a statement.
According to HRW, violence was reported in Damascus’ majority-Alawi neighborhoods of Mezzeh 86 and Ush al-Warwar, where protesters attempted to enter the areas and residents reported assaults, property damage and sectarian insults.
The organization also reviewed videos and witness testimony documenting attacks in Idlib, including mob violence against men accused of belonging to former pro-government paramilitary groups.
HRW said Syrian authorities deployed security forces to some flashpoints, including sealing off access to Ush al-Warwar, and the unrest has since subsided. However, it warned that the tensions behind the protests remain unresolved.
The group called for urgent investigations into those responsible for the June attacks, protection for detainees, and stronger public confidence in independent justice mechanisms dealing with Assad-era crimes.
HRW also urged Syrian authorities to adopt legislative reforms enabling fair prosecutions, protect civic space, and include civil society and victims’ groups in transitional justice efforts, warning that revenge-driven violence risks undermining accountability and fueling further instability.