Four female lawyers were detained inside the Justice Palace in Hama and taken to the Judicial Inspection Department amid allegations that they were subjected to interrogations and remarks of a “sectarian nature”. The incident sparked widespread controversy and raised questions about the legality of procedures carried out within the judicial institution.
The detention of four female lawyers inside the Justice Palace in the city of Hama yesterday sparked widespread controversy and outrage within Syrian legal and human rights circles, amid growing questions over the legality of the procedures followed and the role of security agencies inside judicial institutions, in the absence of any official clarification from the relevant authorities so far.
ANHA correspondent reported that the incident began with the detention of lawyer Faten Daaboul inside the Justice Palace cafe by a civilian individual known as “Abu al-Shaymaa,” while she was filmed during the arrest in what activists and lawyers described as a humiliating scene.
Sources stated that Daaboul was later transferred to the Judicial Inspection Department, where three other female lawyers — Dawla Ibrahim, Reem Issa, and Maryam Ibrahim — were also detained alongside her.
According to multiple accounts published by Syrian human rights platforms, the four lawyers were subjected to interrogations that included questions and remarks of a sectarian nature, including inquiries about why Sunni clients had appointed them as legal representatives. Rights advocates described such conduct as a violation of the principles of equality before the law and an infringement on the sanctity of the legal profession.
Available information indicates that some of the lawyers are originally from the village of Deir Shmeil in the Hama countryside, although no detailed information has yet been published regarding their professional backgrounds or the nature of the case that led to their detention.
Despite the widespread controversy sparked by the incident on social media and within legal circles, neither the Ministry of Justice, the Bar Association, nor the security authorities have issued any official statements clarifying the circumstances of the detentions. No legal basis for the measures taken against the lawyers has been announced so far, further deepening the ambiguity and questions surrounding the case.
The incident has triggered a wave of criticism, with lawyers and activists calling for a transparent investigation into what occurred and demanding clarification regarding the legal authority that carried out the detentions inside the Justice Palace, which is supposed to serve as an institution for protecting the law and ensuring judicial independence.
The case has also reignited debate over the state of judicial authority in Syria and the limits of security agencies’ interference in judicial institutions, in addition to raising questions about the position of the Bar Association and its role in protecting its members and defending the independence of the profession, especially amid growing allegations of abuses being committed inside institutions that are meant to uphold the law and safeguard rights.
Syria: Rights outcry after female lawyers detained inside Hama Justice Palace
