The town of Qalaat al-Madiq in rural Hama, western Syria, witnessed public protests following an incident where a physician, Dr. Maram al-Sheikh Mustafa, was subjected to physical assault and humiliation in front of his family members. The incident triggered widespread public outrage, amid demands for an independent investigation and accountability for those responsible for the assault.
According to information obtained by the Rights Monitor Syria platform, the incident occurred after the wife of Dr. Maram al-Sheikh Mustafa, who is also a physician, prevented an escort of Younis al-Jassem—brother of Brigadier General Mohammad al-Jassem (known as “Abu Amsha”), the commander of the 62nd Division—from entering a room designated for women inside her medical clinic, in compliance with the privacy of female patients.
Sources reported that this stance was followed by Younis al-Jassem’s escorts physically assaulting Dr. Maram al-Sheikh Mustafa and humiliating him in front of his family members. As of the time of drafting this report, no confirmed information has been received regarding any legal action taken against the perpetrator.
Following the incident, a number of residents from the town of Qalaat al-Madiq took part in a protest rally to condemn the assault, demanding that those involved be held accountable, the protection of medical personnel be guaranteed, and the recurrence of such violations be prevented.
It is worth noting that Dr. Maram al-Sheikh Mustafa previously served as the Minister of Health in the Syrian Interim Government in northern Syria.
Rights Monitor Syria condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the assault on Dr. Maram al-Sheikh Mustafa. It considers any assault or humiliation targeting healthcare workers during or because of the performance of their duties to constitute a violation of human rights and the principle of the rule of law, undermining the right to a safe working environment for healthcare professionals. The platform calls upon the relevant authorities to conduct an independent and transparent investigation into the circumstances of the incident, to hold those responsible accountable in accordance with due legal process, and to adopt measures that guarantee the protection of medical personnel and ensure that perpetrators of violations do not enjoy impunity.
