Banker Reportedly Tortured to Death

A bank worker may have died from torture while being held in security custody, the website All4Syria reported on November 2.



Abdullah Al-Bitar, 33, from Dara in south-western Syria, was arrested by the security services after 50 million lira (just over one million US dollars) which he was transporting from another financial institution to his bank went missing.



All4Syria reported that Bitar left the money in his car after his manager called him in for a meeting. When Bitar returned, the money had gone.



Bitar’s brother said that when he asked the security services whether the detained man was being ill-treated, he too was arrested.



Bitar died in custody on October 27. His body was delivered to his family two days later. According to eyewitnesses, the body was blindfolded and had traces of blood on the head and between the legs.



All4Syria reported on November 5 that the officer who had interrogated Bitar has been arrested.



All4Syria, which backs the government but advocates for reform, encouraged the authorities to reconsider a recent decree that effectively gives impunity to police, security and customs officers if they break the law while carrying out their duties.