The Syrian capital Damascus witnessed a disturbing incident that raised questions about the rule of law and the rights of civilians, after a video was circulated showing an armed raid by members of the government forces, some of whom were masked, on a restaurant and entertainment club called “Orient Nights” in al-Muhafada Square, in the centre of the city.
The video, which went viral on social media, shows the moments of storming the place, where the armed men forcibly removed those present, while firing shots in the air to terrorise those present. The footage also documents direct physical assaults on the restaurant patrons, who were beaten with rifle butts, causing a number of them to fall to the ground and suffer physical injuries.
Although the video does not reveal what happened inside the restaurant in detail, what has been documented clearly indicates an excessive use of force and a clear violation of civilians’ rights, in a behaviour that lacks any legal or humanitarian cover.
Some sources have also circulated unconfirmed reports that during the raid, the assailants stole personal belongings belonging to restaurant patrons, including mobile phones and gold jewellery. We have not been able to independently verify this information at the time of writing this report, but the repetition of these accounts by a number of witnesses makes it all the more important to open a transparent and thorough investigation into all possible violations.
Fabricated charges to justify the attack by extremists
In parallel, some pages and accounts – some of them impersonating official pages – tried to justify the incident by using extremist religious rhetoric, or by spreading unfounded rumours. A quick investigation conducted by Eyes on Syria revealed that Orient Nights is an ordinary restaurant and entertainment club, which has nothing to do with these allegations.
Even if the operation was an official raid – which has been denied – the violent method of execution and the armed assault on civilians represent a serious breach of applicable laws and international human rights standards.
Official position and promises of accountability
The Syrian Ministry of Interiorissued a statement confirming the arrest of the elements involved in the attack and referring them to the competent judiciary. The statement emphasised that “the rule of law is above all” and that any attack on civilians or public facilities will be met with strict legal measures.
Eyes on Syria’s position on the attack
Based on our media and human rights responsibility, we at Oyoun on Syria emphasise the following:
- All those found to be involved in this and similar attacks must be held accountable, in a public and transparent manner, to ensure that such violations are not repeated.
- The importance of upholding the rule of law and rejecting any practices outside it, under any pretext whatsoever, including religious or moral justifications.
- Prosecute and hold accountable pages and websites that impersonate official websites, spread sedition, justify violence and distort facts.
- Reject the fabricated rumours that were spread in order to legitimise the raid and assault, which do not stand up to simple verification.
Testing the immunity of society and the credibility of the authorities
This incident cannot be seen as a passing event. It is a real test for the Syrian society and government and its seriousness in enforcing the law on everyone without exception and putting an end to abuses that weaken confidence in institutions and further disintegrate society.
We hope that the case will be followed up transparently and that the perpetrators will be held accountable before the public, to protect the dignity of citizens and ensure that such violations are not repeated.
