Appointing Hevrin's killer insults all Syrians

In a firm stance reflecting its commitment to justice and human rights protection, the Future Syria Party strongly condemned the appointment of mercenary Hatem Abu Shuqra, accused of the assassination of the party’s Secretary-General Hevrin Khalaf and her driver Farhad Ramadan in October 2019, to a military position under the Damascus authorities.

The party viewed the decision as a blatant violation of justice and a clear reward for perpetrators of crimes against humanity.

This was stated in a declaration read by Fatima Al-Ali, spokesperson of the party’s General Women’s Council, from the party’s headquarters in Raqqa, in the presence of several party members. The statement described Abu Shuqra’s appointment as “a provocation to the victims and their families, and an insult to justice and human dignity,” noting that he is listed on U.S. sanctions lists for his involvement in grave violations.

The statement affirmed that this move “entrenches a policy of impunity and undermines Syrians' aspirations for a genuine transitional justice process,” calling on the Damascus authorities and international organizations, particularly human rights institutions, to act immediately to arrest mercenary Abu Shuqra and bring him before an international criminal court.

Protests in Kobani

In a related development, the Euphrates branch of the Future Syria Party condemned the appointment of Abu Shuqra, calling it “a direct encouragement of impunity and a blatant insult to the dignity of victims, foremost among them the martyr Hevrin Khalaf.”

During a protest held in the Free Women's Square in Kobani, the head of the party office in the Euphrates Canton, Shavin Aghasi, read a statement stressing that Abu Shuqra “is nothing but a war criminal known for his crimes against civilians,” describing his appointment to a leadership position as “an attempt to whitewash his criminal record.”

The statement added that “his appointment undermines the foundations of transitional justice and destroys any hope for building a new Syria based on accountability, not complicity,” emphasizing that the blood of martyr Hevrin Khalaf and all the victims “will not be forgotten and will not rest until the killers are held accountable and justice prevails over crime.”

The party called on the Damascus authorities and international organizations to urgently act to hold Abu Shuqra and those behind his appointment accountable.

Condemnations in Raqqa

The Women’s Coordination Office in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria also issued a public statement strongly denouncing the appointment of mercenary Hatem Abu Shuqra as commander of the so-called 86th Division under the Damascus authorities. They considered it a dangerous indication of disregard for justice and the feelings of the victims.

The statement was read by Adalet Omar, Head of the Women’s Body in the Autonomous Administration, in the presence of several legal experts and activists. Omar emphasized that Syria is at a critical phase amid rapidly changing political and security conditions and that any attempt to polish or empower war criminals threatens the country’s future.

The statement pointed out that Turkey plays a direct role in embedding its affiliated mercenaries within Syrian state institutions, aiming to rehabilitate fighters involved in grave violations.

The statement highlighted the record of Abu Shuqra, leader of the "Ahrar al-Sharqiya" mercenaries, accused of war crimes and the assassination of Hevrin Khalaf.

It mentioned that "Hatem Abu Shuqra" is listed on U.S. and international sanctions for his involvement in violations amounting to crimes against humanity, particularly against women and Yazidis. The statement warned that his appointment reflects the insistence of some parties on ignoring justice and covering up crimes by awarding official positions to perpetrators.

The Women’s Coordination Office stated that the assassination of Hevrin Khalaf was not merely targeting a political figure but a deliberate attack on the project of coexistence, democracy, and women's freedom, making any move to rehabilitate her killer an insult to all Syrians.

The statement reaffirmed the commitment to continue the struggle in the footsteps of the martyrs of freedom and stressed that Syria’s future cannot be built on the ruins of crimes but on justice, accountability, and respect for human rights.

Demands from Tabqa

The Martyrs’ Families Council and the Women’s Office of the Democratic Society Organizations in Tabqa also strongly condemned the Damascus authorities’ decision in a statement delivered in front of the Democratic Society Organizations building, attended by representatives of the Autonomous Administration, the Zenobia Women's Gathering, and the Future Syria Party Council.

Anoud Al-Hajj Hassan, a member of the Women’s Office, said that the appointment of Abu Shuqra, who is listed on U.S. sanctions for his involvement in the killing of politician and activist Hevrin Khalaf, constitutes a flagrant violation of justice and human rights and threatens the rights of women and communities.

The statement called on the international community and human rights organizations to act immediately to prevent war criminals from reaching leadership positions, asserting that empowering such individuals undermines all efforts to achieve justice and reconciliation in Syria.

At the Martyrs’ Cemetery in Tabqa, the Martyrs’ Families Council delivered a statement in the presence of representatives from the Autonomous Administration, the Future Syria Party, and the Zenobia Women’s Gathering. Council member Faten Al-Sheikh Nasser read the statement, saying: “This decision legitimizes terrorism, entrenches impunity, and is a blatant insult to the sacrifices of the martyrs, especially martyr Hevrin Khalaf, who symbolized peace, coexistence, and the project of peoples’ brotherhood.”

The statement stressed that building a new democratic Syria cannot be achieved by rewarding criminals, but rather by holding them accountable before the law. It called on the international community to take decisive steps to bring them to justice and to ensure fair trials that honor the victims and prevent the recurrence of such tragedies.

A-H

ANHA