Syria detains seven after man dies following beating in custody

DAMASCUS: Syria said it detained seven people after a man with a condition that can lead to uncontrolled bleeding died on Sunday following a beating in police custody, with two government ministers vowing accountability.
The emergencies and disaster management ministry said Mohammed Ghumeira died “due to complications from brain and gastrointestinal haemorrhaging due to him being beaten after he was detained” at a police station in Latakia province.
It identified Ghumeira, who was in his late twenties, as one of its personnel, and said he was married with two children and suffered from haemophilia, a disorder in which blood does not clot properly to stop bleeding.
A source from Ghumeira’s family told AFP on condition of anonymity that “he was accused of stealing a large sum of money and was detained for three days before being released due to insufficient evidence. But he had been badly tortured, which led to a deterioration in his health and then to his death.”
State television said that security forces in Latakia had “detained seven people for investigation who were present” at the time of the incident.
On Friday, the broadcaster had said authorities were investigating the circumstances surrounding Ghumeira’s detention, including whether necessary steps had been taken to ensure he received “appropriate medical care.”
Interior Minister Anas Khattab in a statement vowed that “any violation or misconduct by interior ministry personnel will be dealt with firmly according to the relevant law and procedures,” and that offenders “will receive their just punishment, whoever they are.”
Emergencies and Disaster Management Minister Raed Al-Saleh called Ghumeira a “brother, friend and colleague,” posting a picture of the man in a civil defense vest.
“Today the police station personnel accused of beating the late Mohammed have been detained, and legal measures will be taken against them,” he said.
“Syrians have made sacrifices for 14 years to obtain a Syria that safeguards their dignity and preserves their humanity,” he said, vowing that “there will be no impunity.”
The Al-Sharaa government took power after ousting longtime ruler Bashar Assad in December 2024 following nearly 14 years of civil war and brutality, including horrific abuses in the country’s detention system.
According to activist groups, a number of people have died in custody since the new authorities took power, and in January 2025, state media said that a detainee had died in central Syria’s Homs after “violations” by security personnel, who were arrested and referred to the judiciary.