The Killing of Student Laith Othman Succumbing to Bullet Wounds in Front of the University Dormitories in Hama Amid Demands for an Independent Investigation
Yesterday, Monday, June 22, 2026, student Laith Othman was killed after being shot in front of the university dormitories in Hama city. Othman hailed from the predominantly Alawite city of Qardaha in the Latakia governorate and was a fifth-year student at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Hama University. This incident has raised growing concerns regarding student safety and the continuation of violence and violations targeting civilians in Syria.
According to information obtained from local sources, Othman had finished his practical exam and returned to the university dormitories. Upon arriving at the entrance of the dormitories, he was intercepted by a silver “Jeep” vehicle, before unidentified individuals inside it fired several rounds from a weapon equipped with a silencer, striking him directly.
The sources reported that the student was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, where he passed away due to his injuries.
This incident occurs within the context of ongoing killings, abductions, and enforced disappearances witnessed across various regions of Syria, amid frequent reports of individuals from diverse religious and sectarian communities being subjected to violations in recent months.
The documentation of this incident underscores the importance of conducting an independent, transparent, and impartial investigation to uncover the circumstances of the crime, identify those responsible, and hold them accountable in accordance with the law. This is essential to guarantee the right of the victim and his family to justice, contribute to the protection of civilians and students, and prevent the recurrence of such violations in the future.
