Regime detains more protesters as demonstrations continue in Al-Suwayda

Jun 16, 2020

The number of civilians detained by the regime's security branches in Suwayda, southern Syria increased on Monday (June 15), with more being detained over their participation in popular demonstrations calling for the fall of the Assad regime.

According to a report from the website Suwayda 24, "The Assad regime arrested eight people today, who are Salman Faraj, Abdul Rahman Brik, Rowad Sadiq, Bashar Tarabiya, Hussam Mazhar, Safwan Obaid, Nasser Azzam,a' and Ihsan Muhammad."

The website released a video showing the moment when Assad regime forces and security personnel from local branches brutally beat a civilian, before detaining him over his participation in that day’s demonstrations.

Hundreds of local people again gathered in the square in the town centre on Monday as they’d done on previous days, chanting popular calls for freedom and the downfall of the regime, the departure of the dictator Bashar al-Assad and the exit of Russia and Iran from the country. This coincided with a hastily organized march in support of the regime, attended largely by regime officials and security forces.

Participants in the demonstration were attacked by regime loyalists and personnel from Assad’s security branches and police, with batons and other weapons, with the regime forces chasing the protesters and arresting a number of them.

The predominantly Druze province of Suwaida has witnessed more than a week of daily demonstrations against the Assad regime, which has responded by arresting one of the demonstration organizers and sending military reinforcements to the city.

- From Suwayda 24 and Call Syria