Residents of Douma, Syria, gathered in protest on Wednesday to demand justice for four activists who were forcibly disappeared in 2013 during the country’s ongoing civil war. The fate of these activists, including prominent human rights defender Razan Zaitouneh, remains a troubling mystery since their abduction on December 9, 2013.
Known for her outspoken and impartial advocacy, Zaitouneh was a well-respected figure in Syria. She bravely documented abuses by both the Assad regime and rebel groups, making her a target for those seeking to silence her. Despite efforts to locate the missing activists prior to Assad’s removal from power on December 8, their whereabouts remain unknown.
Since Assad’s ouster, protests have erupted nationwide demanding answers about the thousands of people forcibly disappeared under his rule. The new leadership, represented by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham that orchestrated Assad’s removal, has taken a neutral stance on accusations against armed groups involved in such disappearances. However, they have joined activists in their quest for truth and justice.
Yassin Haj Saleh, husband of one of the missing activists, emphasized the importance of shedding light on their case in Douma, where they were abducted. Despite previous appeals for cooperation from armed groups, no progress has been made in locating the activists. The Army of Islam, a dominant rebel faction in Douma at the time of the abduction, has denied involvement and even claimed to have protected Zaitouneh from the Assad government.
Zaitouneh’s work as a human rights lawyer and organizer of activist networks earned her international recognition, including an award from U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama in 2013. She faced threats and intimidation from groups like the Army of Islam, who viewed her documentation efforts as a threat to their authority.
The Army of Islam’s relocation in 2018 following the government’s recapture of Douma did not bring any information about the missing activists. The hope that Zaitouneh and her colleagues would be found among released prisoners was dashed, leaving their fate unresolved.
Islam continues to exist as an armed faction receiving support from Turkey. Unlike other Islamist factions leading offensives against Assad, Islam did not actively engage in combat alongside them and remains excluded from the leadership of HTS-led Syria. Recently, a delegation from the Army of Islam met with HTS leader Ahmad Sharaa to discuss the possibility of integration into the new Syrian system; however, no agreement has been reached.
During a protest on Wednesday, demonstrators displayed banners openly accusing the Army of Islam. The banners bore messages in English reading “Freedom” and in Arabic stating “Traitor who kidnaps a revolutionary,” alongside posters of four activists who are currently missing. Saleh, a participant in the protest, expressed the unique pain experienced by the families of the disappeared individuals, highlighting that those who have died can be mourned, whereas those who are forcibly disappeared are denied the opportunity to live and be mourned. Saleh emphasized the urgent need to locate the bodies of the missing individuals, stating, “For Syria to heal, truth and justice must prevail.”
Wafa Moustafa, another protester whose father was forcibly disappeared in 2013, emphasized the importance of achieving justice in Syria beyond just those detained by the Assad regime. She pointed out that various factions that controlled different parts of Syria over the years have also been involved in similar crimes of detention, torture, and killings. Moustafa stressed that justice must encompass all victims in order to be truly comprehensive and to secure Syria’s future.
The reporter Abou AlJoud provided this information from Beirut, Lebanon.
