Protest in Sweida demands release of detainees

Demonstrators carried banners reading: "The most dangerous enemy is not the one beyond the borders, but the one who sells his conscience from within," "The real war is not between peoples, but between the free individual and the fearful follower," and "Black money bought silence, but it will not buy the truth."

During the protest, activist and engineer Muthanna Al-Hinnawi outlined a number of demands, including the opening of mass graves and the disclosure of all files related to victims, the documentation of crimes, and the safe and dignified return of displaced people to their villages. He also called for the protection of students and teachers, the launch of an independent education project, the establishment of a free and independent judiciary, and the fight against corruption within the province’s institutions.

For his part, activist Salah Al-Qantar, a member of the province’s internal leadership, addressed the case involving the smuggling of prisoners affiliated with the Interim Government who had been held by the National Guard. He said the detainees were accused of committing crimes during the July events in the province, adding that the incident resulted from what he described as “malfunctions and personal discretion among some members of the security apparatus.”

Al-Qantar stated that 12 members of the National Guard had been detained on suspicion of involvement in the case, while the relevant authorities continue their investigations to hold those responsible accountable and remove a number of commanders from their positions.

He stressed that the smuggling of the prisoners had sparked anger and resentment among local residents, as the detainees held by the National Guard represented, in his words, “the only hope” for conducting prisoner exchange operations.

ANHA