Syrian Lawyers’ Union Reports Over 650 Arbitrary Detentions and Serious Violations in 2025, Urges Immediate UN Action

ZALIN, North and East Syria – On August 10, 2025, the Lawyers’ Union Against Torture, in coordination with various human rights observatories, issued a strongly worded statement exposing a series of persistent and grave violations occurring in Syria. The statement cautioned against an intensifying pattern of systematic repression and violence targeting civilians, despite the protracted nature of the conflict, which has now extended beyond a decade. 

The statement, issued by legal representatives from Gozarto (Jazira) Canton, underscored field reports confirming the continued prevalence of arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, and systematic torture within Syrian detention facilities, alongside indiscriminate bombardment of civilian-populated areas. According to the Syrian Observatory, the month of July witnessed intensive attacks utilizing heavy weaponry against the city of Suwayda, resulting in hundreds of casualties and extensive destruction. Furthermore, more than 658 cases of arbitrary detention or enforced disappearance were documented during the first half of this year, encompassing women and children among the victims. 

The statement further highlighted that Daramsuq (Damascus) and its surrounding areas have been subjected to a wave of arrests targeting journalists and civil activists, with prison conditions in detention centers deteriorating to levels described as “catastrophic.” In response to these findings, the Lawyers’ Union condemned these acts as egregious violations of international humanitarian law and urged the United Nations and relevant international bodies to take immediate and decisive action to protect civilians, hold perpetrators accountable, facilitate the release of detainees and forcibly disappeared persons, and guarantee their safe return. 

The statement also outlined a comprehensive strategy to address these violations, which includes the drafting of a consensual national constitution, the establishment of an independent transitional justice and accountability commission, the reinforcement of judicial institutions, and the activation of legal and social protection mechanisms, with particular emphasis on safeguarding the rights of women and children. 

The statement further called for the inclusion of all Syrian constituencies in a comprehensive national dialogue, alongside close coordination with international human rights organizations to document violations and oversee the implementation of legal resolutions. The lawyers of Gozarto (Jazira) Canton concluded their statement by reaffirming their unwavering commitment to ongoing legal efforts aimed at defending human rights and holding perpetrators accountable before both national and international courts, emphasizing that “lasting peace can only be achieved through a state governed by the rule of law, which protects the rights of all its citizens without exception.”