The killing of the Syrian young man, Youssef El -Labbad, after his arrest from inside the Umayyad Mosque in the capital, Damascus, sparked a wave of anger and a widespread controversy on social media platforms, especially in light of the conflicts of accounts regarding the circumstances of his death.
According to Syrian media, Al -Labad was arrested after a verbal argument with public security personnel, during which he refused to leave the mosque, before he was transferred to the Hamidiya prison of the Internal Security, where he died in mysterious circumstances, and his body was handed over to his relatives, carrying clear traces of torture.
The family of the young Youssef accused the Syrian authorities of killing him under torture, after his arrest by a patrol of the Internal Security Forces last Monday, after he refused to leave the Umayyad Mosque, where videos spread on social media, the moment of his arrest alive, without showing any hostile behavior, which prompted activists to question the official account that talked about “self -harm”.
Al -Labad had defected from the Syrian regime’s army with the outbreak of the revolution in 2011, and joined the Free Syrian Army, before leaving the country and settling in Germany with his family, to decide to return two days before his death.
On the other hand, the Commander of the Internal Security Forces in Damascus, Brigadier Osama Aatka, issued a statement saying that Al -Labad entered the Umayyad Mosque in a “unstable psychological state”, and pronounced “incomprehensible phrases” and documented by surveillance cameras inside the mosque.
He added that “the elements of the protection of the mosque intervened to calm him down, prevent him from harming himself or worshipers, and he was transferred to the guard room within the security campus of the mosque, and there he hurt himself by hitting his head with solid bodies, which led to severe injuries.”
Brigadier General added that “the ambulance was contacted immediately, but the young man died despite the attempts to save him,” noting that the competent authorities have begun a comprehensive and transparent investigation to determine all the circumstances of the incident, stressing that the ministry will announce the results as soon as they are available.
But this novel was not convinced many, but was met with a wave of rejection and anger on the communication sites, as activists considered what happened “a murder under torture”, added to a long series of violations against those returning to Syria, despite the official campaigns promoting “safe return.”
I don’t know what to say in all honesty and honesty, I am not because I am unable to express, but the fear of negligence in expression and choosing the right words
But the scene of the martyrdom of Youssef El -Labbad under torture, as his wife conveyed the news, and as you see with pictures, it brings back to the memory of the Syrians, the most difficult moments that we have rushed and fought to stop her, how many Joseph spent unjustly … pic.twitter.com/HRLgsS6zNm— ahmad (@ahmadL_F) July 30, 2025
Tweeters accused the authorities of trying to “cover up a clear murder”, by claiming that he had “hurting himself” inside the detention center. Others saw that “perhaps Joseph was not a balance at some point, but he – since his arrest – has become in the custody of the state, which is responsible for his protection even from himself,” asking: “Who really lost his balance? Youssef?
Maybe it was not #Youssef_bad He is balanced, but he became in the custody of the state that has seized him, and his protection even from himself has become its duty and responsibility.
Who really lost his balance?
Yusef? Or the system that was unable to preserve his life, and failed to preserve his humanity?Oh God, we do not know the unseen, but this is a denier that we do not accept, and we absolve you of … pic.twitter.com/M3LKV7RqOS
– Mazen Haj Mohammad | Mazin (@mhajmuhammed) July 30, 2025
One of the activists wrote: “Youssef al -Labbad was killed twice, once in the detention, and once when they worked as a mental illness,” one of the activists wrote.
Youssef Al -Labad was killed twice once in the detainee
And once they worked as a psychopath.– @Riyad Qazmuz ( @mlpmlp98877) July 31, 2025
On the other hand, others emphasized that Al -Labad was not a mental disorder, as the official authorities claimed, but rather a young man who received his education in Germany and returned to his country in the hope of restoring something from his affiliation, but he was met with arrest and torture to death.
#Youssef_bad Not crazy, but you are criminals.
A young man through seas and borders, lived in #EuropeAnd learn in #Germany… Then he returns to his homeland to be told that he is mentally ill?!
Is this the homeland that awaits its children in exiles and camps?!How a person lived in countries that respect man, to enter his country and arrest … pic.twitter.com/OCacVaI4Wy
– Talal Alharemi (@tal_alhashemi) July 31, 2025
One of them commented: “Is this the homeland that awaits its children in exiles and camps?”
Activists also circulated a video clip of the mosque’s cameras, showing the moment of the arrest of al -Labbad, which is sound, calm, and walking without resistance, stressing that the video does not show any hostile behavior or an attempt to harm the soul, which contradicts the claims of the Ministry of Interior.
Youssef Al -Labbad video
I say to the Ministry of Interior, do not want the people to be crystal clear, there is nothing that says, as you mentioned a little while ago in your statement, that alum does strange movements from him that he is happy with his return and religiosity is clear to him. pic.twitter.com/MwR4kINZAr– Ahmed Al -Daher Shibli (@aldher_shbli) July 30, 2025
Activists added: “The video is crystal clear. The young man seemed happy with his return, and signs of religiosity showed him.
#Damascus
A video of the Umayyad mosque’s mosques showing that public security arrested the young Youssef Al -Labbad, which is still alive and did not show any shot that showed that he had harmed himself. pic.twitter.com/y8tyI5DVZb– Ahmed Ramadan (@ahmadalramdani) July 30, 2025
Others accused the authorities of “cutting parts of the video to hide what happened after the arrest,” calling for a full disclosure of the viewer, and the accountability of those responsible for his death.
Bloggers stressed that the mere death of al -Labbad inside an official detention center holds the state full of responsibility, whether the death is caused by torture, or as a result of neglect, ill -treatment and inhumane detention conditions.
1. I am not fully certain of the circumstances of the death of Youssef El -Labbad – whether he died under torture or for other reasons. What we know is that his death took place inside a detention center, and this alone is sufficient to hold the official authorities responsible.
– omar alshogre | Omar Al -Shari (@omaralshogre) July 31, 2025
One of the bloggers said: “We do not have all the facts yet, but what we know is that the young man died while he was in the custody of the state.
Scientific comment on the incident of Youssef Al -Labbad
I emphasize, scientific confirmation based on the literature of clinical psychology – not motivated by defending anyone, but based on what is dictated by the right and professional duty – that some of the very severe psychological disorders, especially psychotic ones, may push the person to harm himself or others … pic.twitter.com/EmNe27j8gj
– Muhammad Pasha Al -Smadha (@psy_mohsmadi)) July 30, 2025
Activists called for the opening of an urgent and independent investigation, and the presentation of the officials of the incident for accountability, stressing that what happened is returning to the minds of the Syrians, the practices of the regime’s shabiha and its security services during the war years, stressing that “no one wants Syria to return as it was under any circumstance.”
On the other hand, some voices called for calm and waiting for the results of the official investigation before issuing the rulings, while emphasizing the necessity of revealing the full truth, and holding the officials accountable whatever their positions, in order to preserve the rest of the confidence between people and state institutions.
(Tagstotranslate) News (T) Syria (T) Arabic