Rights Monitor Syria Demands an Independent Investigation into the Circumstances Surrounding the Death of Young Man Abd Al-Salam Abd Al-Hakim Akko Following His Release from Hama Central Prison
Rights Monitor Syria expresses its deep concern and strong condemnation regarding the death of young man Abd Al-Salam Abd Al-Hakim Akko, born in 2002, shortly after his release from Hama Central Prison, operated by the Syrian Interim Authority, following approximately one year of detention. Information indicates that he was released in a deteriorating health and physical condition, before his status worsened, leading to his passing weeks after his release.
According to information available to the platform, Abd Al-Salam Akko was released on August 14, 2026, after nearly a year of detention. He had been arrested during a raid on a commercial shop on suspicion of involvement in drug trafficking. Circulated information indicates that a subsequent medical report confirmed the absence of any traces of drug use in his body, a fact that necessitates verifying the legal basis for his arrest, the evidence relied upon for his apprehension and detention procedures, and the circumstances accompanying his period of detention.
The platform emphasizes that mere suspicion of committing a crime under no circumstances justifies subjecting a detainee to torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. Furthermore, persons deprived of their liberty enjoy fundamental rights that are not forfeited due to detention, foremost among which are the right to life, physical integrity, human dignity, and access to adequate medical care.
The death of Akko shortly after his release renders it imperative to conduct an independent, impartial, and effective investigation to determine the medical and legal causes of death, and to establish whether he was subjected during his detention to torture, ill-treatment, medical negligence, or denial of necessary healthcare.
Rights Monitor Syria recalls that the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment constitutes a fundamental rule of international human rights law and international humanitarian law. Likewise, persons deprived of their liberty must be treated humanely and provided with basic needs and appropriate medical care. This includes persons detained in the context of armed conflicts, where rules of customary international humanitarian law affirm the obligation to protect them from violence, torture, and ill-treatment.
Furthermore, the death of an individual during detention, or shortly after release under circumstances raising suspicion of a connection between their health condition and the period of detention, warrants an effective and independent investigation into the circumstances of death. This includes reviewing detention and healthcare records, hearing witnesses, examining medical evidence and relevant documentation, and establishing individual and institutional responsibilities upon proof of any violation. International standards underscore the importance of investigating detainee deaths and not treating them as ordinary or isolated incidents.
Available information further indicates that Abd Al-Salam Akko was a former detainee under Bashar al-Assad’s regime, having spent nearly four years in its prisons prior to his release during the opening of the prisons. This background places his death following a new experience of detention under heightened human rights scrutiny, particularly amidst ongoing concerns regarding detention conditions and treatment within detention facilities controlled by Syrian authorities.
Rights Monitor Syria Demands
Based on the foregoing, Rights Monitor Syria demands that the Syrian Interim Authority and competent judicial authorities undertake the following:
Open an immediate, independent, comprehensive, and transparent investigation into the detention circumstances of Abd Al-Salam Abd Al-Hakim Akko from the moment of his arrest until his release, as well as into the causes and circumstances that led to his death.
Establish accountability for any proven torture, ill-treatment, medical negligence, or failure to provide healthcare, and refrain from relying solely on internal administrative procedures or non-independent investigations.
Preserve all evidence pertaining to the case, including arrest, interrogation, and detention records, medical files, the names of officials, guards, and medical personnel who interacted with Akko, and any recordings or documentation that could assist in uncovering the truth.
Conduct an independent, impartial forensic medical examination and autopsy in accordance with relevant international standards to determine the medical cause of death and identify any indicators of prior injuries, ill-treatment, or health neglect.
Guarantee the victim’s family’s right to know the truth, enable them to access information and documentation concerning his detention conditions, health status, and causes of death, and ensure they are subjected to no coercion or pressure.
Review the conditions of all detainees in Hama Central Prison and other detention facilities, ensure their access to medical care, adequate food, water, and hygienic conditions, and protect them from torture and ill-treatment.
Ensure respect for the legal safeguards of detainees and arrestees, including freedom from arbitrary detention, the right of the detainee to be informed of the reasons for arrest, the right to independent judicial review, and the rights to defense and a fair trial in accordance with the law.
Hold accountable all individuals proven to be involved in or responsible for any violations, regardless of rank, official status, or position, and ensure that perpetrators of torture and ill-treatment do not enjoy impunity.
Rights Monitor Syria stresses that the transition of authority or the change of entities controlling state institutions does not negate obligations relating to the protection of human rights, nor does it grant any party immunity from accountability for violations occurring within detention centers.
The death of Abd Al-Salam Abd Al-Hakim Akko following his release from prison—in a deteriorating health condition, according to available information—must not pass without a serious investigation that reveals the truth and attributes responsibility. The rights to life, physical integrity, and human dignity are indivisible, and protecting detainees from torture, ill-treatment, and inadequate healthcare is not a privilege granted by authorities, but a legal obligation that permits no compromise.
