Arrest and torture by extrajudicial means

Mohammed Al Hamwi is an example, referred to as Mohammad Name: Muhammad Nadeem Hamwi Date of Birth: June 1st, 1980 Gender: Male Place of birth: Homs - Bab Amro Job: Butcher Education: Primary school Current Residence: Jordan - Amman - Al-Hussein camp. Supporting document for identity: Mohammad does not have passport or any document, he has only leave permit provided under sponsorship. --------------------------------The nature of the violations suffered by Mohammad: Mohammad was arbitrarily arrested two times; the first time he was arrested was in the city of Homs and in Bab Amro because of confusion of names with other activist. Mohammad was immediately pulled into small bus, where inside he was punched and beaten with sticks, and then he was transferred to another bus marked by military sign, where he suffered also beats and obscene words until he reached the State Security in Homs. Mohammad was dragged down to a vault, where he remained in for two days without any procedures. Two days later he faced interrogation. During interrogation, Mohammad was subjected to torture by an instrument called Wheel and was tortured with electrical hits by three executioners. After 16 days of interrogation and torture, Mohammad was released after paying hundred thousand Syrian pounds for unknown officer as a bribe. The second arrest was in Damascus, the capital city of Syria, where he went after leaving Homs. A group from the Air Forces Intelligence Department stormed into his house and requested his ID, and according to lieutenant colonel who interrogated Mohammad, the officer told Mohammad that he could not leave before completing ten years in prison because Mohammad was from Homs city and from Bab Amro. Thereafter, Mohammad was transferred to Al Khair Mall; the mall that became a military barracks, then was transferred to the Air Force Intelligence Department. During the trip, Mohammad was exposed to beating and kicking and obscene words. Mohammad was taken to dormitory with ninety individualshe stayed there for eighteen days without any investigation, and then he was called in for interrogation, blindfolded and handcuffed. Mohammad has been beaten by belt, where the interrogators had asked him about his name and number of guns that he owned, and because Mohammad was an activist, the officer kept beating him in order to make him confess. Mohammad was beaten by various means such as; bastinado, which Mohammad has been beaten eighty hits, and each time the strike stops, the executioner spills hot water. Mohammad has been asked continually to tell the names of the gunmen while in fact he didnt know, then he was lifted and hung by the hands for an 18-hour period during which someone would periodically extinguish cigarettes on his body and lift his hands a bit to increase the torture and pain. After beating Mohammad another bastinado, he was carried back to the dormitory for 6-7 days, then a second request for interrogation with the beating, Mohammad did not admit anything during this period. At the end, he was asked to sign a memorandum confirming that he will not participate in protest, and he has forced to confirm to the officer to tell the Security Forces Department everything he might see of other protesters.

Dates of violations: The first arrest 3 Ramadan 2011 and after 16 days released Second arrest 38 days of the beginning of February 2012 to March 15, 2012 The responsible destination for the violation according to Mohammad. Violators belong to a branch of Air Force Intelligence Department and State Security, and both of them belong to the cult of the Syrian regime (alawite). Mohammad recognized the interrogators by their clear dialects and the sectarianism which appeared through their work. Evidence on violations: Because of sever torture, Mohammad is currently suffering from pain and heart disease; also, his hands and his back show many signs of torture. He will provide a medical report on his condition.