Syria detains seven over custody beating death

Syrian security forces in Latakia detained seven people for investigation after Mohammed Ghumeira died following a beating while in police custody, state television and the emergencies and disaster management ministry said.

The ministry said Ghumeira, one of its personnel, died on Sunday, August 16, from complications of brain and gastrointestinal haemorrhaging caused by being beaten after he was detained at a police station in Latakia province. It said he was in his late twenties, married with two children and had haemophilia, a disorder that prevents blood from clotting properly.

State television said the seven detained people had been present at the time of the incident. On Friday, it said authorities were investigating the circumstances of Ghumeira's detention, including whether he received appropriate medical care.

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

Interior Minister Anas Khattab said any violation or misconduct by interior ministry personnel would be dealt with under the law. Emergencies and Disaster Management Minister Raed al-Saleh said police station personnel accused of beating Ghumeira had been detained and legal measures would be taken against them.

Syria's Islamist authorities took power after ousting Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 after nearly 14 years of civil war. The Syrian Network for Human Rights and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights have said a number of people have died in custody since the new authorities took power.