Paris 18 July, 2024.
The Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression welcomes the arrest of retired Brigadier General Samir Al-Sheikh, who resides in the USA, on Thursday 16th July 2024
The US Federal Police arrested the Syrian former police commander, the retired Brigadier General Samir Al-Sheikh, in the city of Los Angeles, on the charge of attempted naturalization fraud and providing false information regarding the positions he had filled, through which he is suspected of involvement in killing and torture acts. You can view details on the case via the link here
It is worth noting that an investigation is still open on suspicion of the involvement of retired Brigadier General Samir Al-Sheikh in committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Al-Sheikh has been arrested on basis of a complaint submitted by the Syrian Emergency Task Force (SETF), with an active contribution from a group of Syrian civil society organizations.
In June 2023, the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM) responded to a request by the US legal authorities to support the investigations they were conducting regarding the suspect. It prepared a comprehensive file that included a set of evidence confirming the suspect’s involvement in complicity in committing serious crimes during his period as head of the security committee in Deir ez-Zor
Mazen Darwish, General Director of the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM), stated: “The arrest of Samir Al-Sheikh is a launchpad for the cooperation between the American legal authorities, Syrian civil institutions in America and Syrian civil society organizations. It reflects a practical model of the importance of the integrated roles of the main actors in the file of justice and accountability that must be built upon to ensure rights of all victims.”
For his part, Tariq Hokan, Manager of the Strategic Litigation Project (SLP) at the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression, confirmed that: “The arrest of Samir Al-Sheikh and the open investigation against him confirms, once again, that there will be no safe haven for the perpetrators of grave violations in Syria. They won’t be able to escape punishment and they will be held accountable eventually”
Al-Sheikh, 72 years, has been in the USA since 2020, when he joind his wife, who holds an American citizenship
Al-Sheikh first held the position of Equestrian Department at the Police College in Damascus. After that, he filled several positions, the most important of which was director of Adra Central Prison as brigadier general and head of the Political Security Branch in the Damascus countryside. From July 2011 to the 15th January 2013, Al-Sheikh served as governor of Deir ez-Zor Governorate and chaired its security committee, which was responsible for crimes of arbitrary arrest, enforced disappearance, and torture against thousands of the people there.
