UN experts express concern over abduction of women in Syria

UN experts expressed deep concern over what they described as "disturbing" reports of abductions, disappearances, and gender-based violence targeting women and girls, particularly from the Alawite community, in various parts of Syria since February 2025.

In a statement issued from Geneva, the human rights experts described the reports they received as “disturbing,” highlighting increasing cases of abduction, disappearance, and gender-based violence against women and girls in various parts of Syria since February 2025, especially affecting the Alawite minority.

According to the statement, the experts received credible reports that 38 women and girls, aged between 3 and 40, were kidnapped in Syrian cities including Latakia, Tartus, Hama, Homs, Damascus, and Aleppo from March until now.

The statement noted that some abductions occurred in broad daylight, while victims were heading to school, visiting relatives, or even inside their own homes.

The experts also reported that some families received direct threats to prevent them from reporting the incidents or speaking publicly about them. Some accounts mentioned that the victims were drugged and physically assaulted while in captivity.

The experts warned that the lack of safe and gender-sensitive reporting mechanisms makes it difficult to fully verify incidents of sexual violence, but noted that such incidents could not be ruled out. The statement also pointed to reports of forced marriages of underage girls, describing them as “extremely alarming.”

They further criticized the Syrian government’s failure to conduct timely and impartial investigations into most of the reported cases. In some instances, authorities reportedly refused to file complaints or ignored families’ concerns. The experts said this inaction not only deepens the trauma experienced by the victims and their families but also contributes to a broader climate of impunity.

The experts noted that these developments reflect “a broader pattern of violence against women and girls in Syria, exacerbated by insecurity and the erosion of the rule of law.”

The statement also mentioned the alleged involvement of security agencies or individuals affiliated with institutions of the Syrian transitional government in some of the cases. The experts called on the authorities to fulfill their international legal obligations to protect women and girls from violence, and to provide justice and psychological support for survivors.

They emphasized the need for swift, independent, and transparent investigations, the establishment of safe and gender-sensitive reporting mechanisms, and the appointment of female investigators to handle such cases.

In conclusion, the experts urged the Syrian transitional government to put an end to this pattern of violence and to restore public trust in the justice system, reiterating that all women and girls have the right to live in safety and dignity.

They stressed that the need to protect them is especially urgent in light of ongoing attacks on communities in Syria, including a recent incident in Sweida where hundreds of Druze civilians were killed by unknown armed groups, including two women and two children.

The experts confirmed they are in communication with the Syrian transitional government regarding these matters.

A-H 

ANHA