The Ministry of Interior has announced the arrest of two members of the former regime in Latakia province (western Syria), after video clips emerged showing them torturing a civilian 13 years ago.

According to a statement by the Interior Ministry on Sunday, 16 November, the Internal Security Command in Latakia province carried out a security operation that led to the arrest of Thaer Najm Mousa and Raed Hassan Sawadi al Sakkaj.

The ministry said the two men were involved in what it described as “grave” violations against civilians in the province.

The operation followed the circulation of a video dating back to 2012 that shows Samir Mohammad Hashri being beaten and tortured by members of the former regime during a raid on the al Raml al Janoubi neighborhood in Latakia city (western Syria), which later led to his death.

After monitoring and matching the faces of those who appeared in the video, their identities and places of residence were determined, and they were arrested, according to the ministry.

It added that Thaer and Raed confessed to the charges against them, including assaulting the civilian, beating and torturing him, forcing him to insult the divine, and to salute Syria’s deposed president, Bashar al-Assad, in addition to taking part in the arrest and torture of a large number of civilians.

The two suspects were referred to the competent judiciary to take the necessary legal measures against them, the ministry said.

Activists on social media have been re-circulating images and video clips showing members of the former regime’s army torturing and humiliating a detainee.

The “Syrian Revolution Archive” page, which specializes in documenting and archiving the events of the Syrian revolution and related written and visual material, re-published stills from the footage and described the incident as a “brutal scene that shook Syrians’ hearts and pained their consciences, ending with his death only a few hours later.”

Thousands of civilians were subjected to torture during the years of the revolution at the hands of members and officers of the former army, as well as in security branches and centers,with many cases ending in death.

Ongoing announcements

The Ministry of Interior regularly announces the arrest of figures from the former regime involved in violations against civilians, most notably Wasim al-Assad, Namir al-Assad, Atef Najib, and Ibrahim Huwija.

On 4 November, the state-run al-Ikhbariya channel reported, quoting an unnamed security source, that the former investigator of the State Security detachment in Jableh in the countryside of Latakia province (western Syria), Asaf Mohsen Younes, had been arrested.

Local pages at the time shared video clips from Jableh that they said showed popular celebrations welcoming his arrest.

On the same day, the Internal Security Command in Latakia province announced the arrest of Saqr Suhail Mahalla and Hiyaj Kamel Ibrahim for their involvement in “criminal” acts against civilians in the province.

According to an Interior Ministry statement, preliminary investigations showed that Mahalla and Ibrahim are among the “kingpins of gangs” affiliated with Bashar Talal al-Assad, a cousin of Syria’s deposed president, Bashar al-Assad.

The ministry said they were involved in “criminal” activities that included theft, drug trafficking, murder, and armed robbery.

Meanwhile, many others involved in violations against civilians and accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity remain beyond accountability, most of them in hiding, having fled after the fall of the regime to neighboring countries or to Russia.