Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) strongly condemns the enforced disappearance of Emirati citizen Jassim Al‑Shamsi by Syrian authorities. The Syrian government bears full responsibility for his safety and well‑being.

Any attempt to forcibly return him to the United Arab Emirates constitutes a flagrant violation of the absolute principle of non‑refoulement under international law and exposes him to grave danger.

Information provided by his wife, Raghda Kiywan, confirms that she was denied entry to the Syrian Ministry of Interior when she tried to inquire about her husband’s fate. In a statement to Syria TV she said: “I thank everyone who stood with me, and I trust that our government will not hand over my husband.”

Preventing her from asking about his situation or knowing his place of detention reflects a lack of transparency and the continuation of enforced disappearance and secrecy policies that Syrians have endured for decades, paying a heavy price in their lives, freedoms, and security.

Detention in Syria takes place in an extremely dangerous environment marked by widespread violations, enforced disappearance, and unfair trials. Every detainee is left vulnerable to ill‑treatment, torture, or denial of basic legal safeguards. Any step to deport Al‑Shamsi without clear legal guarantees exposes him to serious violations and constitutes a breach of the absolute prohibition of refoulement under international law.

International human rights law imposes clear obligations on Syria and on all states party to international treaties to prohibit arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance and to protect individuals from refoulement. Article 3 of the Convention against Torture absolutely prohibits returning any person to a country where they face a risk of torture. Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights requires that no one be arbitrarily deprived of liberty and that families be immediately informed of the place of detention. Enforced disappearance, under the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, is defined as a continuous crime that violates the right to life, dignity, and personal security. The ongoing disappearance of Jassim Al‑Shamsi, the denial of information to his family, and any attempt to deport him without guarantees represent a blatant violation of binding international obligations.

Women Journalists Without Chains demands that Syrian authorities immediately release Jassim Al‑Shamsi or urgently disclose his place of detention and legal status, halt any deportation proceedings to the UAE, allow his wife and family to communicate with him and ensure their legitimate right to know his health and legal condition, and permit international organizations, including the United Nations, to access his case and investigate the enforced disappearance. Syrian authorities must comply fully with international human rights law and end the systematic practice of enforced disappearances.

The case of Jassim Al‑Shamsi represents part of a wider crisis affecting thousands of victims in Syria. Full solidarity is reaffirmed with his family and with all those subjected to arbitrary detention or enforced disappearance, with emphasis that the protection of human dignity is a commitment that cannot be abandoned.

Released by:

Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC)

November 26, 2025