Syria detains policeman over death of White Helmets rescuer hit in custody

SaveSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkMourners carry the coffin of Mohammad Ghamira, the former White Helmets volunteer who died shortly after release from jail [File: AP]By Daniel Khalili-Tari and APPublished On 20 Aug 202620 Aug 2026A Syrian police officer has been arrested and may be criminally prosecuted after an investigation found that he hit a detainee with a medical condition who died shortly after being released from custody.Syria’s Interior Ministry said on Thursday that Mohammad Ghamira, 29, died after being slapped by police investigator Ahmad Jawad, who has since been detained and referred to the public prosecutor.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Lebanon hands former Syrian army general to Damascus after arrest warrantlist 2 of 3Netanyahu warns Israel will not tolerate Turkish military presence in Syrialist 3 of 3Syrian official says ‘no plans’ to establish Turkish military presenceend of listGhamira, who died on Sunday, suffered from haemophilia, a rare condition that prevents blood from clotting properly, making sufferers bleed more easily and for longer periods.The father of two was a member of the White Helmets, the civil defence organisation made up of volunteers that operated in rebel-held areas in Syria. They went on search and rescue operations and provided medical care following government attacks.The investigation found that Ghamira had told internal security personnel about his condition, while his wife twice informed authorities about the potential danger.Ahmad Latouf, head of the investigation committee and assistant interior minister for police affairs, confirmed that Ghamira died after suffering a brain haemorrhage believed to have been caused by the slap.Two other police officers are also being investigated but are not currently due to be prosecuted.Ghamira’s death has provoked widespread anger among Syrians, reminding many of the gross human rights abuses that were systematic under former President Bashar al-Assad, who was overthrown by rebels in December 2024. New leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has promised to usher in a new era, prioritising human rights and overseeing an inclusive government. However, human rights organisations have documented widespread abuses by government forces, particularly against minority groups.Commenting on Ghamira’s death on Thursday, the Interior Ministry accused Jawad of violating ministerial instructions and the code of conduct, which strictly prohibit any form of humiliating or abusive treatment of detainees.Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab said in a statement that the investigation results showed the ministry’s “commitment to reaching the truth and holding accountable those proven to have overstepped”.“We rose up against the former tyrant’s regime in rejection of injustice and impunity, and therefore, building a state of law begins with our ability to hold the wrongdoer accountable, to give restitution to the victim, and not to do injustice to anyone who has not been proven responsible” for wrongdoing, he said.Reporting from Syria’s northwestern port city of Latakia, Al Jazeera’s Heidi Pett said the Syrian government has vowed to take further action.“There will be surveillance put into police stations and better training provided to officers but they say all of this will take time,” Pett said.“Part of the reason it has resonated so widely is because of who Mohammad was. He was a young man, 29 years old, and he had two children and was a volunteer with the White Helmets. They were basically seen as heroes. His father joined the revolution and so he’s a figure who many people here in his community and nationally respected,” she added.“That’s part of why there’s been so much sadness and anger and it’s also [because of] the fact that Mohammad is not the first to be mistreated in detention by the new authorities. Syrian rights organisations have documented other cases of deaths in detention.”Ghamira was arrested last week accused of theft. He was later released and died at a hospital in Latakia on Sunday.During a forensic examination, medical experts found no visible signs of violence or severe force, as well as no skull fractures or traumatic wounds.