Detainment, torture and murder that sparked Syrian protests
Hamza Ali Al-Khateeb (Arabic: حمزة علي الخطيب; October 24, 1997 – May 25, 2011) was a 13-year-old Syrian boy who died while in the custody of the Syrian government[1] in Daraa. On April 29, 2011, he was detained during a protest. On May 25, 2011, his lifeless body was delivered to his family, having been badly bruised and mutilated. Hamza's family distributed photos and video of the body to journalists and activists. Shocked by what was depicted, thousands of people showed their support for Hamza online and in street protests. The incident galvanised the nascent Syrian revolution.
Background
Hamza lived with his parents in the village of al-Jeezah in Daraa Governorate.[2] He enjoyed watching his homing pigeons fly above his house since drought had left him unable to enjoy swimming. He had a reputation for being generous. "He would often ask his parents for money to give to the poor. I remember once he wanted to give someone 100 Syrian pounds ($2), and his family said it was too much. But Hamza said, 'I have a bed and food while that guy has nothing.' And so he persuaded his parents to give the poor man the 100," his cousin told Al Jazeera.[3]
Hamza had an older brother, Omar, who was arrested in 2018 for refusing conscription.[4] Documents released from Sednaya Prison after the fall of the Assad regime in 2024 confirmed that Omar had died in police custody. Hamza's father also died in 2024.[5] His younger brother, Suraqa and his mother survived to see the fall of the Assad regime.[5][4]
Detention, torture, and death
Al-Jazeera reported that he was not interested in politics, according to an unnamed cousin, but on April 29, 2011, he joined his family in a rally to break the siege of the city of Daraa. "Everybody seemed to be going to the protest, so he went along as well," said his cousin. Hamza walked with friends and family 12 km along the road from al-Jiza north-west to Saida. Firing began as the protesters reached Saida. Hamza's cousin reported: "People were killed and wounded, some were arrested. It was chaotic we didn't know at that point what had happened to Hamza. He just disappeared." One source says that Hamza had been among 51 protesters detained by Air Force Intelligence, which detainees allegedly described as having a reputation for brutal torture.[3]
A still image from the video Hamza's relatives made chronicling his various wounds, following the return of his body to them by the Syrian government, one month after Hamza was detained
Hamza's body was returned to his parents by the Syrian government on 21 May 2011.[5] A video of his body filmed several days after his death showed numerous injuries, including broken bones, gunshot wounds, burn marks, and mutilated genitals.[6]The Globe and Mail summarized: "His jaw and both kneecaps had been smashed. His flesh was covered with cigarette burns. His penis had been cut off. Other injuries appeared to be consistent with the use of electroshock devices and being whipped with a cable."[2] After cutting off his penis, Hamza's torturers forced him to continuously drink water so that he had to frequently urinate.[4]
Following the broadcast, by Al Jazeera, of a video showing Hamza's body there was widespread outrage, both online and amongst the protesters in Syria.[2]
In response to Al Jazeera's story, the chief of Syria regime's medical examiners association denied that Hamza was tortured.[7][8][9]
Hamza's name became a rallying cry for protesters. A Facebook page honouring him had more than 105,000 followers by May 2011.[10] Following the pattern of demonstrators calling Fridays a "day of rage", Saturdays in Syria were called the "day of Hamza".[2]
On May 31, 2011, U.S. Secretary of StateHillary Clinton marked his death as a turning point in the Syrian uprising, indicating that it "symbolises for many Syrians ... the total collapse of any effort by the Syrian government to work with and listen to their own people".[11]
On March 14, 2012, The Guardian released 3,000 emails leaked from Asma al-Assad, Bashar al-Assad's wife, and her father, Fawas Akhras. Akhras had emailed Bashar al-Assad, instructing him to respond to allegations that children are tortured in Syria by dismissing it as "British propaganda".[12]
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