Assassination Attempt Against Abdullah Al-Khateeb

On 23 July 2016, human rights defender Abdullah Al-Khateeb escaped an assassination attempt in Yalda in southern Syria, when he was shot in the chest. This is a part of a systematic campaign of incitement carried out by Islamic State militias and the Syrian regime.

Abdullah Al-Khateeb is a Palestinian human rights defender and founding member of the Palestinian League for Human Rights (PLHR), an independent organisation established in 2012 at Yarmouk camp in Syria to document and promote human rights of Palestinian refugees. Since 2011, Al-Khateeb has been documenting human rights abuses committed by different parties within the Syrian conflict, whilst also volunteering to provide humanitarian assistance in the Yarmouk refugee camp. Furthermore, he is involved in several educational projects providing psychosocial support for children affected by the conflict in Yarmouk.

Abdullah Al-Khateeb has been targeted by state and non state actors in Syria, including Al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State, as a result of his human rights activities. On 23 July 2016 he survived an assassination attempt in front of his home in Yalda in southern Damascus. He was reportedly shot five times, and one bullet entered his chest and left him in a critical condition. Members of the Islamic State militias have claimed responsibility for the attack. It is believed the assassination attempt is linked to recent reports and media statements which Al-Khateeb made regarding the appalling situation of the siege in southern Damascus, as well as criticising the scourge of recruitment of child soldiers and restriction of public and private freedoms.

On 31 July, he received a notice requesting him to report to the offices of the Syrian Islamic Commission in Yalda. He was subsequently requested to stop his work at a children’s programme in Yarmouk camp, and was accused of teaching swimming to girls. In different mosques at Al-Hajar al-Aswad city and in Yarmouk camp, during Friday prayer, the Islamic State accused the human rights defender of blasphemy and leading anti-religion speeches.

On 1 April 2015, members of the IS militias, who control large parts of Yarmouk refugee camp in which the human rights defender resides, stormed his residence in an attempt to capture him, fortunately Al-Khateeb was able to evacuate his residence before this attack. This followed a previous attempt to kidnap the human rights defender in front of his residence on 9 March 2015, which was unsuccessful.

The escalation of violence in the conflict has caused an enormous humanitarian crisis and a serious deterioration of the situation of human rights defenders in Syria, which have been a direct target of government forces, pro-government militias, non-state armed groups and non-state actors.

Front Line Defenders reiterates its concern for the assassination attempt made against Abdullah Al-Khateeb and the repeated acts of harassment and intimidation against him, which it believes to be directly motivated by his peaceful and legitimate human rights activities in Syria.