Syria police investigator referred over detainee death

A Syrian committee investigating the death of Mohammed Ghumeira has referred police investigator Ahmed Jawad to the Public Prosecutor's Office in Latakia after finding he slapped Ghumeira during an interrogation, the committee's head said Thursday.

Ahmad Lattouf said the committee relied on testimony from detained police station personnel and that the station head had told Jawad about Ghumeira's sensitive medical condition. Ghumeira, 29, had haemophilia and had been detained at a police station in western Latakia province before dying after his release.

Authorities said Sunday that seven people had been detained over the death. The emergencies and disaster management ministry said Ghumeira, one of its personnel, died from complications of brain and gastrointestinal haemorrhaging after being beaten following detention.

Lattouf said the committee had asked the interior ministry to expand a disciplinary investigation to include the station head and another investigator. He said Ghumeira's treatment had been a mistake and that the “grave error” would be handled through the judiciary. He also said a report by assigned doctors found no signs of violence or physical torture on Ghumeira's body.

A member of Ghumeira's family told AFP on Sunday that Ghumeira had been accused of stealing a large sum of money before being released for insufficient evidence, and alleged that he had been badly tortured before his health deteriorated and he died.

Oussama Shannak, the attorney general for Latakia, said legal procedures would be expedited so that anyone proven to be involved in negligence or dereliction of duty would be punished.

Interior Minister Anas Khattab said in a later statement that what had been proven to be a violation was unacceptable and could not be justified. Raed al-Saleh, minister of emergencies and disaster management, described Ghumeira as a colleague and vowed that there would be no impunity.

Ghumeira's death drew criticism and condemnation in Syria. Activists and human rights organisations called for accountability, especially after reports of other detainees dying at the hands of security forces.