Syrian security forces detain leaders of Al-Shabab party for several hours after election results protest

DARAMSUQ (DAMASCUS) — On Monday, Syrian security forces arrested the secretary general of the Al-Shabab Party for Building and Change, Bruin Ibrahim, in Daramsuq (Damascus) along with three members of the party’s political board and three party supporters. They were released hours after their arrest.

Arrested alongside Ibrahim were political board members Bassel Hukan, Mohammed Ali Hashash, and Jaafar Mashhadia. Those arrested were demonstrating outside the Syrian Parliament. They were released after being detained for five hours.

Mashhadia told North Press Agency that the demonstration organized by the party’s leaders was a protest against the Constitutional Court’s rejection of the party’s appeal of a decision taken about constitutional and legal violations that took place during the elections on 19 July.

“Syrian security officers in civilian clothes stopped us and put Ibrahim in the front of the car, while two members of the political board in the car trunk, and the rest were put in a second car, and they were taken to the Police Department of Arnus, where they were interrogated about the reasons that led them to go out and protest,” Mashhadia said.

Ibrahim was nominated for elections to the Syrian Parliament, but she did not win a seat, accusing authorities of falsifying election results.

She attacked Syria’s ruling Baath Party and accused it of being an exclusionist party in a live broadcast on Facebook. During the broadcast, Ibrahim pointed out fraud in the elections of Hasakah Province and promised to organize protest movements in rejection of the announced results and to demand a recount.