Contact was lost with the young woman Shahd Mohsen Hmeisha (17 years old), belonging to the Alawite community, since the evening of Friday, June 19, 2026, in Latakia city, amid growing concerns for her safety in light of the continuous recording of disappearances and abductions targeting women and girls in Syria.
According to available information, contact with Shahd Mohsen Hmeisha was lost at approximately 5:00 PM on June 19, 2026, while she was in the Al-Dattour area of Latakia city, specifically in the area located between the last microbus (servees) stop and the cemetery intersection.
Local sources reported that Shahd had left her home heading to a nearby shop in the Al-Dattour neighborhood, before all communication with her was completely severed.
The girl’s family appeals to all individuals who may possess information that could assist in locating her or reassuring them of her safety to contact the relevant authorities or her relatives to contribute to uncovering the circumstances of her disappearance.
This incident raises serious concerns in light of the recurrence of disappearances and abductions targeting women and girls in various regions of Syria recently, as the fate of a number of missing females remains unknown, amid increasing demands to disclose their whereabouts and ensure their safety.
International human rights standards affirm that the right to liberty, security of person, and protection from enforced disappearance and unlawful detention is among the fundamental rights guaranteed to all individuals without discrimination. Furthermore, these standards impose on the competent authorities a duty to take prompt and effective action to verify the fate of missing persons and to adopt all necessary measures to ensure their safety.
Rights Monitor Syria calls upon the Syrian authorities to conduct an urgent, independent, and transparent investigation into the circumstances of the disappearance of Shahd Mohsen Hmeisha, to disclose her fate and whereabouts, to ensure her safety, and to hold accountable those responsible for any violations she may have been subjected to, in line with the principles of justice, the rule of law, and the prevention of impunity.
