Local sources have documented the killing of citizen Hassan Youssef Al-Tawil, a native of Al-Barouha village in the Talkalakh district of the western countryside of Homs, central Syria, on June 6, 2026. This occurred five days after his arrest by personnel affiliated with the Public Security, according to information obtained by “Rights Monitor Syria.” This incident raises serious concerns regarding the safety of detainees and the due process guarantees during detention, particularly in areas experiencing frequent complaints of violations against civilians.
According to available information, Hassan Youssef Al-Tawil was arrested from his village, Al-Barouha, five days prior to the announcement of his death, with no clear information available regarding the conditions of his detention or the circumstances that led to his death.
The same sources reported that his brother, Hafez Al-Tawil, had passed away last year as a result of torture while detained by Public Security personnel, according to local testimonies. The two brothers belong to the Alawite sect.
Furthermore, “Rights Monitor” received identical testimonies indicating that several predominantly Alawite villages in the Talkalakh region have been subjected to practices described as extortion and the imposition of large sums of money by security personnel and local armed groups, under the threat of arrest, abduction, or killing in the event of non-payment. Sources reported that these practices have forced some residents to sell their properties and lands to secure the required amounts.
In a related context, available information indicates the continued detention of a number of individuals from the villages of the Talkalakh countryside who were arrested during May 2026, without revealing their fate or whereabouts up to the date of preparing this report. They are: Hatem Al-Ali, Mohammad Al-Asaad, Salman Khalil, Yasser Hamdi, Salman Hamdi, Nazih Hamdi, Abdul Karim Khaddour, and Abdul Latif Khaddour.
In another incident related to the growing concerns over the targeting of civilians on sectarian grounds, two young men, Majd Hatem Al-Shaer and Yamen Hussein Al-Suleiman, both members of the Alawite sect, were killed following an armed attack carried out by unidentified individuals on the evening of June 1, 2026, in the village of Kaitloon, in the Salamiyah countryside of the eastern Hama province.
These incidents reflect a deeply concerning pattern of violations linked to the right to life and personal security, amid a continuous deterioration of security and the absence of effective accountability mechanisms. This heightens the fears of the civilian population, particularly members of religious and sectarian minorities, of being subjected to violations based on identity or community affiliation.
“Rights Monitor Syria” calls for the opening of independent and transparent investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death of Hassan Youssef Al-Tawil and similar incidents, to uncover the identity of those responsible and ensure they are held accountable in accordance with international legal standards. It also emphasizes the necessity of immediately revealing the fate of all detainees and forcibly disappeared persons, taking effective measures to protect civilians, preventing incitement to hatred and violence, and ensuring respect for the fundamental rights guaranteed under international human rights law.
