The death of Muhammad Husam al-Din Ghamira on Sunday, August 16, from complications of cerebral and gastrointestinal bleeding following his detention at al-Haffah Police Station in Latakia governorate (western Syria) prompted official reactions, with government officials stressing the need to complete the investigation and hold those responsible accountable.
Interior Minister Anas Khattab offered his condolences to Ghamira’s family in a post on X, stressing that any violation or misconduct proven to have been committed by Interior Ministry personnel would be dealt with firmly under applicable laws and procedures, and that anyone found to have committed a violation would receive appropriate punishment after the investigations are completed.
Khattab subsequently appointed a committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding Ghamira’s death and determine its causes and the conditions surrounding it, following his pledge to deal firmly with any violation or misconduct proven to have been committed by Interior Ministry personnel.
The committee consists of Maj. Gen. Ahmad Mohammad Latouf, Deputy Interior Minister for Police Affairs; Brig. Gen. Samer Mahmoud al-Hussein, adviser to the interior minister for legal affairs and human rights; Brig. Gen. Muath Khaled al-Jamal, director of the Department of Disciplinary Cases and Prosecutions; and Brig. Gen. Hussein Alawi al-Hammadi, director of the Criminal Investigations Department.
The ministry tasked the committee with investigating the circumstances of Ghamira’s death and determining the actual causes and circumstances surrounding it. The committee is to meet at the invitation of its chair, at a time and place he determines, and submit the results of its work within 72 hours of its formation. It is also authorized to seek assistance from anyone it considers appropriate to complete its task.
For its part, the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management mourned Ghamira, who had been one of its staff members, and said he died from complications of cerebral and gastrointestinal bleeding “resulting from being beaten after his detention at al-Haffah Police Station.” The ministry noted that he suffered from hemophilia.
The ministry added that Ghamira was originally from al-Haffah and was born in Douma (Rural Damascus) in 1997, where he grew up. During the years of the Syrian revolution, he participated in rescuing hundreds of people from under the rubble caused by bombardment by the Assad regime and its allies before recently returning to al-Haffah. The ministry said he was married, had two children, and that his father was among those killed during the Syrian revolution.
The ministry said it was following the investigation with the relevant authorities at the Interior Ministry to establish the circumstances of the incident and hold those responsible accountable in accordance with legal procedures. It stressed that “the new Syria” is founded on the rule of law and the protection of human dignity, and that “there is no place for impunity.”
Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Raed al-Saleh also mourned Ghamira, describing him as a “brother, friend, and colleague,” and said he had been following the case since the first day of the incident in coordination with the interior minister.
Al-Saleh said the police station personnel accused of beating Ghamira had been detained and that legal measures were being taken against them. He stressed that Syrians had made sacrifices for 14 years to reach a Syria that protects their dignity and humanity, and that “there will be no impunity in the new Syria.”
Calls for a Protest
The al-Haffah News Network, together with a group of activists and young people from the area, called for a peaceful protest to be held on Tuesday, August 18, in al-Saraya Square outside al-Haffah Police Station, following Ghamira’s burial.
According to the announcement, the protest will call for a transparent and independent investigation into the circumstances of Ghamira’s death, the identification of responsibility, and accountability for anyone proven responsible. Organizers also called for residents to be transparently informed of the investigation’s findings.
The demands also include stricter Interior Ministry procedures and greater oversight of police stations to prevent similar incidents, holding local officials responsible for any proven failure to perform their duties, and adopting measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Organizers stressed that the protest would be peaceful, calling on participants not to confront or assault anyone, attack security personnel, or damage public or private property. They said the protest’s purpose is to demand justice, uncover the truth, and ensure accountability, not to seek revenge or provoke unrest.
What Happened to Muhammad?
Ghamira’s case began after he was detained at al-Haffah Police Station for about three days over a complaint alleging the theft of a sum of money, according to his brother Mustafa Ghamira, who spoke to Enab Baladi.
Muhammad, a former Syrian Civil Defense volunteer and the son of Husam Ghamira, who was killed in battles in Ghouta against the Assad regime, suffered from hemophilia, a disorder that affects the blood’s ability to clot.
According to his two brothers, Muhammad was summoned to al-Haffah Police Station over the financial complaint before being detained there for about three days.
Mustafa said the family informed officers at the police station about Muhammad’s serious medical condition and asked them not to subject him to physical violence. The family, however, accuses personnel at the station of severely beating him during his detention.
According to information provided by Mustafa, Muhammad left the police station after a judicial order was issued for his release, but he was in critical condition, suffering from internal bleeding and a brain hemorrhage.
Mustafa added that Muhammad went into cardiac arrest three times before being resuscitated after he was transferred to Tishreen University Hospital in Latakia, where he was unconscious in intensive care in extremely critical condition.
Photos circulated on social media showed Muhammad in normal condition before his detention, alongside photographs taken after he was transferred to the hospital that showed the deterioration in his health.
The circumstances of what happened inside the police station, and responsibility for the deterioration in Muhammad’s health, remain subject to investigation. Before his death, Muhammad’s family had called for a swift and transparent investigation to establish what happened during his detention, hold anyone proven to have been involved accountable, and ensure his right to medical care and justice.
Seven Suspects Detained
Following the incident, the Internal Security Command in Latakia governorate announced that the relevant authorities were investigating the circumstances surrounding the detention of Muhammad Husam al-Din Ghamira at al-Haffah Police Station over an allegation that he had stolen a sum of money, with the aim of establishing what occurred and what measures were taken against him during his detention.
The command said the investigation includes examining the circumstances of his detention and whether the procedures followed complied with applicable legal requirements, while taking into account Ghamira’s medical condition, as he suffered from hemophilia, and whether he received appropriate medical care.
The command stressed that detainees’ rights and dignity are protected by law and that appropriate legal action would be taken over any violation proven to have occurred during detention or investigation procedures, according to the statement.
On Sunday, August 16, the Internal Security Command in Latakia governorate announced, as part of the measures taken in Ghamira’s case and based on the findings of the specialized committee investigating its circumstances, that seven people who had been present in the detention room when the incident occurred had been placed in custody pending investigation, as authorities continued working to establish the full circumstances of the case.