Syria arrests police officer after death of hemophiliac White Helmets staffer

A Syrian police officer has been arrested and may face criminal prosecution after an investigation concluded that he struck a detainee with a medical condition, who died shortly after being released from custody.

Syria's Interior Ministry announced on Thursday that Mohammad Ghamira, 29, died after being slapped by police investigator Ahmad Jawad. Jawad has been detained and referred to the prosecutor's office.

Ghamira, who died on Sunday, had hemophilia, a rare condition in which blood does not clot normally, causing those affected to bleed more and for longer periods.

The father of two was a member of the White Helmets, a civil defense organization of volunteers operating in opposition-controlled areas of Syria. They engage in search-and-rescue operations and provide medical care following government attacks.

The investigation revealed that Ghamira informed internal security personnel of his medical condition, while his wife twice warned authorities of the potential danger.

Ahmad Latouf, head of the investigative committee and assistant interior minister for police affairs, confirmed that Ghamira died from a cerebral hemorrhage believed to have been caused by the slap.

Two other police officers are also under investigation but have not yet been charged.

Ghamira's death has sparked widespread outrage among Syrians, evoking memories of the severe human rights abuses that were systematic under former President Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted by opposition forces in December 2024.

The new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has promised a new era prioritizing human rights and overseeing an inclusive government. However, human rights organizations have documented abuses by government forces, particularly targeting minority groups.

Commenting on Ghamira's death on Thursday, the Interior Ministry accused Jawad of violating ministry directives and codes of conduct, which prohibit any form of degrading treatment or abuse of detainees.

Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab said in a statement that the investigation results demonstrate the ministry's “commitment to uncovering the truth and holding accountable those found to have exceeded limits.”

“We rose up against the former tyrannical regime because we rejected injustice and punishment. Therefore, building a state of law begins with the ability to hold wrongdoers accountable, benefiting victims and not wronging anyone not proven guilty,” he said.

Al Jazeera's Heidi Pett, reporting from the northwestern Syrian port city of Latakia, said the Syrian government has pledged further action.

“There will be oversight at police stations and better training for officers, but they say all of this will take time,” Pett said.

“Part of the reason this incident is so emotional is because of who Mohammad was. He was a young man, 29 years old, with two children, and a White Helmets volunteer. They are seen as heroes. His father was involved in the revolution, and so he was a figure respected by many in the community and across the country,” she added.

“That is part of the reason for the grief and anger, and also because Mohammad is not the first person to have been mistreated in detention by the new authorities. Syrian human rights organizations have documented other deaths in custody.”

Ghamira was arrested last week on accusations of theft. He was subsequently released and died at a hospital in Latakia on Sunday.

During the forensic examination, medical experts found no clear signs of violence or blunt force, nor any skull fractures or traumatic wounds.