The Syrian Feminist Lobby is closely and deeply concerned about the ongoing abductions of Syrian women and girls in the coastal regions by unknown criminal actors. These crimes are followed by profound suffering and abuse directed at the families of the kidnapped women, whether by the perpetrators themselves or by those seeking to silence anyone who expresses solidarity or attempts to shed light on this grave crime.
The impact of these crimes extends beyond the individual harm inflicted upon the victims—it affects the entire community. Women now live in fear, leading to isolation and a dramatic change in their daily lives. This fear hinders their ability to access basic needs such as work, education, healthcare, and other essential services.
The Syrian Feminist Lobby calls on Syrian authorities to treat this issue with the seriousness and responsibility it demands, by conducting transparent investigations and holding the perpetrators accountable.
We also urge the Ministry of Social Affairs to form specialized support committees for the victims who return to their families, and to provide them with psychological, medical, and legal support.
Furthermore, we call on local media outlets to stop their careless treatment of such cases and to abandon their policy of denial, which imposes additional pressure on survivors through interviews that lack sensitivity and disregard the serious impact of these crimes.
Protecting Syrian women is a collective responsibility—of individuals, communities, and the state. Their dignity is our dignity.