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85-785: Law enforcement in Syria is carried out by the Public Security Police , which is a force for general policing duties; internal security duties are carried out by different intelligence agencies. The Political Security Directorate is one of these agencies and is under the guidance of the Ministry of Interior of the Syrian government . The Directorate is used for covert intelligence gathering and internal security issues within Syria . Syria has been an INTERPOL member since 1953. Since

170-596: A National Gendarmérie of 2,800, a Desert Patrol of 400 and 1,800 uniformed police, under the authority of the Ministry of Interior. Both the gendarmérie and police were deployed in strategically important posts throughout the country. One desert patrol company was located in Central Syria and the other in Eastern Syria. The standard of training was deemed as being very low. In addition to the uniformed police,

255-634: A circular for all Interior Ministry officials, in which he stressed not to use violence when extracting confessions from arrested persons, in addition to informing the families of arrested persons of their whereabouts. Since 8 July 2019, the head of the Criminal Security Directorate is General Nasser Deeb, former head of the Hama branch of the Political Security Directorate and former assistant director of

340-478: A cohesive group, without significant desertion problems; Syrian police was in charge of quelling demonstrations and they exercised violence against demonstrators; some sources claim that often the police violence was a reaction against violent opponents. According to government lists presented to and published by the UN's Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria, in 2011 the death toll for Syrian police forces

425-613: A high school in al-Hasakah . Education for all police personnel is provided at three institutes: central Police Training School in Damascus (Damascus Police College), Aleppo ( Khan al-Asal Police Academy ) and the Officers College in Homs , where junior officers are sent for six-month courses in specialized areas of expertise. Upon arrest, the individual or suspect is brought to a police station for processing and detained until

510-531: A law that mandates that only the General Command of the Army and Armed Forces may issue an arrest warrant in the case of a crime committed by a military officer, member of the internal security forces, or customs police officer in the pursuit of his normal duties, and that such cases must be tried in military courts. Arbitrary and false arrests are also problems, and detainees had no legal redress. According to

595-500: A metropolitan police force, which, like theprovincialforces, was subordinated to the national command. The Police was subdivided into four main services: Administration, Criminal Investigations, Public Order and Traffic departments which also dealt with internal security matters. The police system incorporated the 8,000-man Gendarmerie, which had originally been organized by the French Mandate authorities to police rural areas, and

680-517: A professor of Law linked to business community, was appointed Interior Minister; on 15 December 1961 Colonel Muhammad Hisham al-Samman was appointed Commander of Internal Security Forces, assisted by a Committee under his presidency and including the Directors-General of Police and Public Security and six provincial superintendents. The Kuzbari government pledged to establish political liberties and to disestablish emergency laws; despite this,

765-617: A protest by women demanding to know the fate of their male family members, who had been detained by ISIL for some time. The Asayîş or Asayish ( Arabic : الأسايش , Kurdish for security ) is the official security organisation of the autonomous administration in Rojava ( Syrian Kurdistan ). It was formed during the Syrian Civil War to police areas controlled by the Kurdish Supreme Committee . On 17 May 2017,

850-460: A red trim for infantry and motorcycle units, and white cavalry pants for mounted troopers. or, its task are limited to the protection and enforcement of security. The Internal Security Forces are part of the Ministry of Interior but makes uses of military ranks. As for total manpower of the Syrian police, in 2011 reportedly were about 100,000 police officers plus reserves, while 2016 estimates put

935-445: A speedy trial or plea bargaining led to lengthy pretrial detentions. According to a 2005 Freedom House report, women are discouraged from presenting their claims in police stations, which are largely staffed by male police officers, for fear of experiencing discomfort or sexual harassment. According to the report, Syrian police officials are not sympathetic to women victims of violence. A human rights police training program funded by

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1020-593: A trial date is set. At the initial court hearing, which is weeks or months after the arrest, the accused may retain an attorney at personal expense or be assigned a court-appointed attorney, although lawyers are not ensured access to their clients before trial. The individual is then tried in court, where a judge renders a verdict. Civil and criminal defendants had the right to bail hearings and possible release from detention on their own recognizance. The prison code provides for prompt access to family members. In 2024, Minister of Interior Maj. Gen. Mohammad al-Rahmoun issued

1105-455: A way to address the conflict happening around them. Doing so has given them some power to influence change in their environment. Their efforts demonstrate that global cyber community policing programs have the ability to connect communities and create social media networks that can effectively and proactively address, and hopefully prevent, threats to its citizens. The police reportedly undergo military-type and counter-terrorism training, having

1190-409: Is also reportedly equipped with armoured vehicles. Policemen assigned to security and riot control duty wear the military olive green with garrison caps, but also camouflage. The Anti-Narcotics Directorate, independent from the Criminal Security Directorate since 1996, has responsibility for anti-drug law enforcement and intelligence gathering. The anti-narcotics establishment was separated from

1275-523: Is assisted by a brigadier general acting as a deputy. The Operations Department is directed by another Brigadier General. Districts are headed by Directors ranking from Colonel to Brigadier General, while subdistricts are led by junior officers. As of October 2021, the Commander of Damascus region is Major General Hassan Jumaa. In 2021, commander of Rif Dimashq was Maj. Gen. Nizar Muhammad Hassan. Also, as of June 27, 2021 Brig. Gen. Dirar Dandel

1360-663: Is on 29 May, the anniversary of French forces shelling the Parliament building in Damascus in 1945. Police history in Syria dates back to the French Mandate , when General Pierre Rondot established a Gendarmerie in order to maintain law and order in rural areas; led by General Wahid Bey, it was poorly armed, organized, disciplined and equipped and did not prove very effective against rebel forces, despite several attempts to ameliorate at least discipline and morale. During

1445-456: Is organized into six separate divisions of police forces under a Director General: Administrative Police (Public Order Police), Emergency Police, Traffic police (whose official Day is on 4 May), Criminal Investigations, Human Trafficking Department, Electronic Criminal Branch and Riot police , as well as a fanfare and the Khan al-Asal Police Academy . The Internal Security Forces Day is on 29 May,

1530-905: Is the commander of Daraa Governorate and Maj. Gen. Deeb Marai Deeb commander of Aleppo Governorate . In April 2024, new governorate police commanders were appointed. Maj. Gen. Bilal Mahmoud in Rif Dimashq , Maj. Gen. Hussein Jumaa in Hama , Brig. Gen. Yasser Abdel Rahman in Tartus , Brig. Gen. Qusay Tarraf in Deir ez-Zor , Brig. Gen. Abdul Qadir Sultan in Raqqa , and Brig. Gen. Hussein Al-Omar as assistant in Idlib . As of April 2024, Brig. Gen. Muhammad Yasser Shiha

1615-465: Is the police commander of Al-Hasakah . Syrian police equipment is an issue. According to The Telegraph , which cites WikiLeaks , the Syrian police was supplied with advanced radio communications equipment, including 500 hand-held VS3000 radios, by Finmeccanica as late as 2011. According to pro-militant website Zaman al-Wasl, in 2014 the Ministry of Interior received two Russian MI-171SH helicopters. Regular police units appear to be equipped with

1700-625: The AKM assault rifles and the Browning Hi-Power , Makarov PM , Stechkin-APS and GSh-18 pistols. Elite police units, such as Syrian Special Mission Forces , are equipped with AK-103 , AK-104 assault rifles and Kord machine guns . Since 2023, SMF also uses Iranian copy of the M4 carbine , Fajr 224. Police uniforms vary according to the police branch which it is considered. Generally speaking, policemen assigned to security tasks wear

1785-682: The Border Guard for border control (especially the Syrian-Iraqi border ), up to 10,000-men strong. These latter two organizations have a military character. For ceremonial duties, the Internal Security Forces also have a cavalry battalion based in Damascus. Other element of the internal security, albeit separated from the Internal Security Forces and the Ministry of Interior, is the Military Police. During

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1870-401: The Khan al-Asal Police Academy . The Internal Security Forces are part of the Ministry of Interior but makes uses of military ranks. Also specialist organizations exist. Military courts have authority over cases involving soldiers or members of other military or police branches. If the charge against a soldier or member of the military or police branch is a misdemeanour, the sentence against

1955-590: The National Security Bureau of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region . During the subsequent decades, however, police forces assumed a more conventional civil police role; this change in role coincided with increased professionalization and the parallel development of an effective and pervasive internal security apparatus. Nevertheless, the police continued to receive training in such functions as crowd and riot control. During

2040-620: The Raqqa Internal Security Forces was established, with the support of the Self Defence Forces . The training has been provided by the international coalition against ISIS, with the first training course of 50 recruits based in Ayn Issa . The United States reportedly provided training to Raqqa security forces. The Manbij Internal Security Forces also operate as a police force. The long-term goal for

2125-798: The Syrian Public Security Police , operating under the Ministry of the Interior. Alongside the Public Security Police, whose headquarters maintained the subdivision into the four main branches, two paramilitary forces operated: the Gendarmerie and the Desert Guard. With regard to the ancillary law enforcement and security organizations, in 2003 Anthony Cordesman put the Gendarmes number at 8,000. On

2210-595: The United Arab Republic , Syrian Minister of Interior Colonel Abdel Hamid al-Sarraj regained control over Syrian gendarmerie and the desert patrol; the Gendarmerie, the Desert Patrol and the Department of General Security (under military control) and the police (under the Ministry of Interior) were merged in the overall organization, called Police and Security, on 13 March 1958; the organization

2295-723: The quelling of the Islamist uprising in Jisr al-Shughur in March 1980 and in Hama in February 1982. According to John Andrade, in the mid-1980s the Public Security Police, a national police force, was responsible for routine police duties, although it was confronted by the insurgents in the 1982 Islamist uprising in Syria and held isolated skirmishes in Aleppo and in Latakia . Damascus had

2380-417: The 1800-man Desert Guard in charge for desert borders. As of late 1980s, the internal security forces were given a high status: typically, provincial police chiefs were member of the relevant Ba'ath Party provincial command . Starting from the 1990s, the Syrian security sector underwent a series of reform, which were part, from mid-2000s, of a broader-range reform process. As of 2016, some 1993 estimates put

2465-416: The Army and the police forces: President of Syria Husni al-Za'im recruited military officers and police specialists. According to CIA records, two Nazi officials, Alois Brunner and Franz Rademacher , as soon as 1957 were granted asylum in Syria and advised Syrian police until the early next decade. As of late 1950s, Syrian non-military internal security forces totalled about 5,000 personnel, including

2550-532: The Damascus branch. Within the Criminal Security Directorate there are seven police divisions and branches: At the central level, the Directorate is the body in charge for relations with INTERPOL , of which the country has been a member since 1953. As of October 2021, Syria was readmitted to INTERPOL’s global police communications network after being subjected to restrictive measures since 2011, thereby allowing Damascus to access databases, communicate with

2635-511: The Damascus region with the capture of the Yarmouk Camp in May 2018, the Internal Security Forces deployed in al-Hajar al-Aswad district and Yarmouk Camp and held a parade there alongside the Army. Following the deepening of the civil war, police forces have been established also by insurgent factions, as well as by Rojava Kurdish-held region and, on 24 January 2017, a Syrian security force

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2720-798: The Gendarmerie as still being in force within the Internal Security Forces and being 8,000-men strong. In 1996 the Government of Syria reformed police and established the Anti-Narcotics Division. In 2002, Syria elevated the Anti-Narcotics unit from a branch to a separate Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior. The Economic Security Courts, established under the 1970 emergency laws and tasked with dealing with economic crimes, were disestablished in February 2004. In late 2000s, training programmes focusing on human rights were launched. According to American professor Joshua Landis ,

2805-473: The Gendarmerie over the French-inherited Army, fearing the military might against his own patronage network. While continuing discipline-improving efforts, in 1949 President Husni al-Za'im seized power and reformed the security apparatus, transferring the Gendarmerie from the Ministry of Interior to the Ministry of Defence; the director-general of police was Adib Shishakli , who in turn took

2890-414: The Internal Security Forces in mid-2000s altered their own ethnic/religious composition, under the guidance of then- Minister of Interior Ghazi Kanaan . This alteration was reportedly carried out in order to make the national police (subject to the law) reliable to step in dealing with national security issues, thus diminishing the extra-law Syrian intelligence community's role, as part of broader reforms of

2975-406: The Internal Security Forces, through the Criminal Security Directorate, which is organized into the six separate divisions of police forces under a Director General: Administrative Police (Public Order Police), Emergency Police, Traffic police (whose official Day is on 4 May), Criminal Investigations, Human Trafficking Department, Electronic Criminal Branch and Riot police , as well as a fanfare and

3060-704: The Internal Security Forces. There are also other specialized organizations, such as the special metropolitan police in Damascus (overseen by the Director General of the Public Security and Police), the Gendarmerie for control in rural areas and the Border Guard for border control (especially the Syria-Iraq border ). General Nasser Deeb is the head of the Criminal Security Directorate . The Internal Security Forces Day

3145-577: The Islamist unrest. During the 1980s, the internal security apparatus was under the command of Rifaat al-Assad , brother of President Hafez al-Assad. During the unrest caused by the Muslim Brotherhood in 1976, the Internal Security Forces were heavily employed in the northern-central region, in Aleppo , Hama and Homs . During 1970s, Ali Haydar 's Special Forces formed a key part of the Syrian government's security apparatus; they participated to

3230-578: The Levantine Special Forces. As with the Levantine Special Forces, French officers held the top posts in the security establishment, but as Syrian independence approached, the ranks below major were gradually filled by Syrian officers. By the end of 1945, the gendarmerie numbered some 3,500. At the dawn of the independent era of the Syrian Republic , of around 15,000 troops under French control, some 5,000 would be converted into

3315-516: The Ministry of Interior, Criminal Security Department and separate records are maintained by each jurisdiction: some jurisdictions are computerized, but there is no central computerized database. It is organized at the provincial level. Within the Criminal Security there is a subdivision known as the "Department of Protection of Public Moralities", tasked with investigating suspect homosexuals and their activities. Between 2021 and 2024,

3400-676: The President in the confrontation. Murshidians only exist in Syria in which they mostly spread out in Latakia Governorate , Homs Governorate , Al-Ghab Plain and Damascus . Their numbers may vary from 300 to 500 thousand people. They celebrate a festival called "Joy in God" for three days, starting from 25 August of each year, this day commemorates the beginning of the new religion by Mujib al-Murshid. In these three days, people make private prayers, dress well and offer desserts as

3485-697: The Riot police is also used in order to protect diplomatic missions against protestors. Syrian Riot Police is organized into battalions and brigades. During the Syrian war, the riot police has been used in order to break early protests ; according to pro-opposition opinionists, it even opened fire on demonstrators. Syrian riot police is issued typical riot equipment, such as riot helmets , tonfa , rubber batons , shields , body armor , bulletproof vests , rubber bullets and plastic bullets . Other heavier equipment includes armoured personnel carriers, water cannons , tear gas and pepper spray . The Riot police

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3570-739: The Swiss and Norwegian governments continued throughout 2008. The Geneva Institute for Human Rights, with support from the Ministand the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, began a third training course in October. The law prohibits such practices as torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, and the penal code provides punishment of a maximum imprisonment of three years for abusers. Under article 28 of

3655-583: The Syrian Army of one brigade with auxiliary services; equal number would be taken into the Gendarmerie; half of remaining third would be needed for police and frontier customs control; remainder would be pensioned off. Several British officers were detailed as "training team" to assist the Syrian Gendarmerie. Since independence, Syria's police and internal security apparatus have undergone repeated reorganization and personnel changes, reflecting

3740-722: The Syrian Civil War, the Ministry of Interior established a quick reaction unit , the Syrian Special Mission Forces . According to Al-Masdar News , the Special Mission Forces have been set up by Russian advisers and are mainly, although not exclusively, intended for urban security actions, as well as carrying out force protection and security operations against terrorist activities. Salman al-Murshid Salman al-Murshid ( Arabic : سلمان المرشد ; 1907 – 16 December 1946)

3825-581: The Syrian authorities until President Hafez al-Assad came to power in 1970. Since then, Al-Murshidyah was practiced relatively freely like any other religion. After the 1984 confrontation between Hafez al-Assad and his younger brother Rifaat al-Assad , the Al-Murshid family was allowed to return to the Latakia region. Murshidiya soldiers in Rifaat's Defense Companies ( Sarāyā ad-Difāʿ ) had sided with

3910-626: The accusations, the authorities use the Emergency Law to detain persons critical of the government and charge them with a wide range of political crimes, including treason. Incommunicado detention was a severe problem. Many persons who disappeared were believed to be either in long-term detention without charge or possibly to have died while detained. Many detainees brought to trial were held incommunicado for years, and their trials were often marked by irregularities and lack of due process. A shortage of available courts and lack of legal provisions for

3995-410: The anniversary of French forces shelling the Parliament building in Damascus in 1945. The internal security is partially separated from the police, the main internal security agencies of Interior Ministry are: Political Security Directorate and General Intelligence Directorate . At territorial level, the Syrian police is organized into Police Provincial Commands, each led by a major general, who

4080-598: The armed forces, linked to the Minister of Interior, and specialized business and the tasks entrusted to them according to the regulations in force. The law granted the same status of the Syrian Arab Army and his men to the Internal Security Forces. In 1966, as a result of the Syrian Regional Ba’ath Party's coup , Abd al-Karim al-Jundi assumed the leadership of the security apparatuses as head of

4165-430: The civil police forces are believed to have been used extensively to combat internal security threats to the government, including pro-Nasserites Baathists and other secular socialists (opposed to the business-Islamist alliance), especially in the universities, which were subjected to several forms of control; also trade unions were harshly confronted by the police in 1962. With the 1963 Syrian coup d'état , Amin al-Hafiz

4250-755: The constitution, "no one may be tortured physically or mentally or treated in a humiliating manner." Nevertheless, security forces reportedly continued to use torture frequently. Local human rights organizations continued to cite numerous credible cases of security forces allegedly abusing and torturing prisoners and detainees and claimed that many instances of abuse went unreported. Individuals who suffered torture or beatings while detained refused to allow their names or details of their cases to be reported for fear of government reprisal. Former prisoners, detainees, and reputable local human rights groups report that methods of torture and abuse included electrical shocks; pulling out fingernails; burning genitalia; forcing objects into

4335-408: The core of specific units with specific non-combat control tasks, such as, according to Gulf News , the manning of checkpoints and observation posts. In 2018, with the recovery of several areas by the Government, the Internal Security Forces were gradually redeployed in re-gained regions: Hama and Homs countryside, Damascus region. In particular, after the Syrian government assumed complete control of

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4420-417: The country. AI reported that torture was most likely to occur while detainees were held at one of the many detention centres operated by the various security services in the country, particularly while authorities attempted to extract a confession or information. Courts systematically used "confessions" extracted under duress as evidence, and defendants' claims of torture were almost never investigated. Between

4505-548: The court," the reality is that extrajudicial detainment and torture are commonplace in ISIL-held territory. According to a report released by Amnesty International in December 2013, ISIL maintained at least seven large detention facilities throughout Raqqa and Aleppo provinces. Inside its detention centers ISIL held common criminals who have been sentenced by its judicial branch, but it also detains political opponents, activists, and even children as young as eight years old. On 28 April 2014, an activist movement in Raqqa city publicized

4590-487: The defendant is final. If the charge is a felony, the defendant has the right to appeal to the Military Chamber at the Court of Cassation. Military courts also have authority to try civilians in cases based on military law. Civilians have the right to appeal all sentences in military court. A military prosecutor decides the venue for a civilian defendant. According to several sources, police impunity and corruption are serious problems. In 2008, President Bashar al-Assad issued

4675-410: The director of the Criminal Security Department was Maj. Gen. Hussein Jumaa. In April 2024, Major General Turki Al-Saeed was named as a Director of the Criminal Security Department. The Riot police ( Arabic : شرطة مكافحة الشغب ) is part of the Criminal Security Directorate. The Riot police core missions are to provide tactical security, crowd control and riot control for demonstrations. In Damascus,

4760-627: The end of 2012 and 2017, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) maintained a local police force in parts of the Raqqa and Aleppo governorates that it controlled. According to Carl Anthony Wege, ISIL seemed to keep separate local police from religious police; the religious police has a mission of promoting virtue and preventing vice, called Hisbah which included a female unit. The Hisbah forces were organized at battalion-level under their own Emir. Aside of Hisbah, al-Khansaa and Umm Rayhan brigades were internal security units maintaining their own morality police forces. The main official function of

4845-497: The group is to train 3,000 recruits; the initial batch is intended to develop in a training cadre in order to continue training Raqqa internal security forces recruits. According to Kurdistan 24 , members of the Raqqa Internal Security Forces are mainly Arabs. Northern Syria Internal Security Forces is an umbrella terms for internal security forces (minus Sutoro and the police branch of Bethnahrain Women's Protection Forces) Syrian Public Security Police The person who manages

4930-410: The illicit traffic, plantation and use of drugs, plans the fight against drugs in coordination with other authorities, executes international anti-drugs operations, and collects information on drug crimes. As of 2006, the Anti-Narcotics Directorate was subdivided into: Aside of the general police, there are also other specialized organizations, such as the Gendarmerie for control in rural areas and

5015-413: The mid-1920s. Yet when al-Murshid returned, he managed to patch up his problems with local notables. In 1937, he became a member of Parliament , and avoided the separatist approach advocated for by some among Syria's minority groups. Yet once it appeared that the French would not make good on their promise to grant Syria independence in 1936, al-Murshid began to call for independence again. In 1943, he

5100-418: The military olive green with garrison caps, but also camouflage. Since 2009, the Government has decided to change traffic policemen's uniforms from military olive green to grey pants, a white shirt with yellow shoulder patches and black belt and shoes. As of 2011, Anti-terrorism police wore dark blue uniforms. Ceremonial uniforms consist in jackboots, white peaked cap and white tunic, with dark trousers with

5185-482: The ordinary police forces was to serve as the executive body for the court, but there were also road police services. Additionally, the police forces were tasked with maintaining internal security through the deployment of regular patrols inside towns. According to a well-known ISIL account, ISIL provided local police patrols with dedicated vehicles as well as branded khaki uniforms. Despite ISIL claims that its officers "do not rule on any case, but rather transfer cases to

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5270-442: The other 195 members , and issue international arrest warrants , called " red notices ". The Directorate has its own Commission for combating money laundering in cooperation with the Commission of the same name at the Central Bank of Syria . The Criminal Security Department is the subdivision of the Criminal Security Directorate which is in charge for general investigative police duties. Police records in Syria are maintained by

5355-436: The other hand, according to Jane's Assessment , cited by 2012 U.K. Country of Origin Information report, as of 2006 the number of border guards deployed was increased to about 10,000. On the international front, late 2000s were marked by an intensive cooperation with INTERPOL on terrorism issues. At the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War , the Syrian security apparatus appeared, to Middle East scholar Professor Joshua Landis,

5440-411: The outbreak of the Syrian Civil War , much of Syria has been outside the control of the Syrian government. Currently, the Asayish are responsible for policing in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria , the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Police in areas under the Turkish occupation of northern Syria , and various Syrian opposition groups around Idlib The Ministry of Interior controls

5525-404: The police in 2002 and made an independent Directorate within the Ministry of Interior. Before the outbreak of the Syrian War, the Government also operated regional counternarcotics offices in Aleppo province and in Homs province , with plans to open offices in the remaining provinces. The work of the Anti-Narcotics Directorate is specialised in guiding and coordinating efforts aimed at fighting

5610-429: The police instead of the Army ; with the 1970s state building process, the local security chiefs gained more prominence, with the whole security apparatus being seen as the Regime «bedrock». According to Alasdair Drysdale , the Hafiz al-Asad's rule was characterized by a marked increase of the Alawite presence in key posts in the officer corps, in the internal security forces and in the Ba'ath Party, possibly also due to

5695-406: The police is the Director General, whose superior is the Minister of Interior through the Criminal Security Directorate. Special metropolitan police forces are in Damascus , Aleppo , and other major cities overseen directly by the Director General. Alongside with other Directorates, the Ministry of Interior controls the Internal Security Forces, through the Criminal Security Directorate, which

5780-460: The police services included the Sûreté, a plain-clothes service of about 300 men. At the time, the United States Department of State deemed the non-military security forces to be unable to restrict the Communist action; nevertheless, due to the strength of political forces deemed as leftist ( Communist and Ba'ath parties), the U.S. Department of State adopted a policy of avoiding to take actions aimed strengthen Syrian internal security forces. Under

5865-436: The power in 1953. The reformed security apparatus cooperated with United States officials against drug trafficking in mid-1950s. As Syrian ruler, Shishakli retrained, reequipped, and expanded Syrian armed forces, police, and security services; the Director General of Police and Public Security was at the time Ibrahim al-Husseini. Until early 1960s, the Syrian government sought the support also from former German officers for both

5950-534: The rectum; beatings while the victim is suspended from the ceiling and on the soles of the feet; alternately dousing victims with freezing water and beating them in extremely cold rooms; hyper-extending the spine; bending the body into the frame of a wheel and whipping exposed body parts; using a backward-bending chair to asphyxiate the victim or fracture the spine; and stripping prisoners naked for public view. In previous years Amnesty International documented 38 types of torture and mistreatment used against detainees in

6035-429: The relative political stability of the 1970s and 1980s, police and security services were credited with having grown and become professional; however, they remained highly secretive, and in 1987 only the bare outlines of their institutional makeup were known. With the success of Hafez al-Assad 'a Corrective Movement in November 1970, a partial reform of the law enforcement was carried out, with some crimes dealt with by

6120-488: The same years. The decision reportedly caused criticism by Sunni Arab officials. Nevertheless, the police devoted to general duties was poorly equipped: according to the United Kingdom Home Office, as of 2009 there were few police checkpoints on main roads or in populated areas. In mid-2000s Syrian police was involved in operations against Islamist militants, across the decade. Also the Military Police

6205-627: The second half of 1944, France transferred most of the directorates of the Common Interests to the national governments, except the Levantine Special Forces and the police. To both the Lebanese and the Syrians, and to the Syrians in particular, the transfer of the army and police was of utmost importance; after several months of tense confrontation with the Syrian and Lebanese establishment, by July 1945 France had agreed to transfer control of

6290-424: The security demands of each succeeding regime. In 1945, Armenian general Hrant Maloyan was appointed by president Shukri al-Quwatli as the General Command of the Internal Security Forces in Syria and served this position until 1949. Maloyan would eventually be known to modernize the Syrian police ranks and improve discipline; members of the Gendarmerie doubled to 9,751 members by the time his post finished in 1949. On

6375-411: The total force of 28,000 personnel, and 8,000 to 9,000 injured soldiers. Syrian women are allowed to serve (although not in frontline units) and to reach senior positions. The police reportedly undergo military-type and counter-terrorism training. Community policing is also a large element within the country of Syria. Citizens in Syria began using cyber community policing tactics via social media as

6460-566: The wake of 1946, the Syrian Gendarmerie was considered the only reliable and effective support of the Government; it was purged and, once equipped by the United Kingdom with modern weaponry, it was successfully deployed to quell a revolt of Alawi religious leader Salman al-Murshid . In late 1940s, the national police force, grown out of the Gendarmerie, was deemed understaffed and poorly disciplined, with several cases of corruption among its ranks. Syrian President Shukri al-Quwatli favoured

6545-572: Was 478. According to U.S. government -funded Radio Farda , the Iranian police forces , along with Quds force units, supported the suppression of early protests in 2011. During the following phases of the Civil War, also regular police units were deployed on the front lines. According to Fars News Agency , in 2016 Iranian police commander, Brigadier General Hossein Ashtari , said that Iran

6630-521: Was a Syrian Alawi religious figure, political leader, and the founder of al-Murshidiyah religious sect. Salman al-Murshid was born as Salman Yunus ( سلمان يونس ) in the village of Jawbat Burghal , in the Latakia Sanjak . His emerging power worried both local notable Alawite families and the French authorities, who arranged to have him and some of his followers sent to Raqqa in exile in

6715-540: Was appointed Ministry of Interior under Salah al-Bitar and Naji Jamil became the head of Military Police (until 1966), and in 1964 large-scale riots erupted in Hama, and in the late 1960s and early 1970s disturbances erupted over the secular constitution. With the Legislative Decree No. 67, issued on 24 March 1965, the police received the title of Internal Security Forces; according to the law the ISF were part of

6800-547: Was elected again as a member of the central Syrian Parliament. In 1944, under British instigation, al-Murshid was arrested in Beirut and kept in Damascus under house arrest for a few months. The Syrian government tried to charge him with treason and other civil charges, but they could not prove any of the charges. Hence, the Judge received a direct order from the president, Shukri al-Quwatli , to convict Salman by any means, and he

6885-480: Was established by Turkey in Turkey-controlled Syrian border town Jarablus ; a video reportedly showing ranks and files of armed men chanting Islamist and pro-Turkey slogans was released on YouTube . According to the official website of the Ministry of Interior, its task are limited to the protection and enforcement of security. Alongside with other Directorates, the Ministry of Interior controls

6970-526: Was executed on 16 December 1946 in Marjeh Square in Damascus. His movement respected al-Murshid and, following his death, his sons Mujib and Saji. The followers of al-Murshid later became known as Al-Murshidiyah ( المرشدية ) named after his second son Mujib Al-Murshid, who was killed by Abd Elhak Shihada ( Arabic : عبد الحق شحادة ) , a military police commander, (by direct order from Adib Shishakli ) on 27 November 1952. Murshidians were persecuted by

7055-486: Was involved in confrontations against Islamist militants detained in Syrian prisons. During the same period the Syrian police confronted also against Kurds and dealt with Kurdish demonstrations ; clashes and shoot-outs were a not so uncommon occurrence throughout the decade. In mid-2000s, the main agency was still known to the 2006 edition of the World Encyclopedia of Police Forces and Correctional Systems as

7140-486: Was placed under al-Sarraj's Ministry of Interior. Syrian police higher post were taken over by Egyptians even if three of the four intelligence networks operating in Syria were under Syrian direction; the other was attached to the President's Office in Cairo. In each Governorate, a Major General of Police was appointed to the influential position of Director of Security. Back to the regained independence in 1961, Adnan Quwatli,

7225-762: Was ready to offer support in police training. Following the conquest of Aleppo by the Syrian Government, the Russian news agency Interfax reported that a Russian Military Police battalion arrived in Aleppo in order to support the law enforcement and to secure the peace commission. As consequence of the establishment of the De-escalation zones , some Russian sources reported that the Russian Federation deployed four Military Police battalions in order to garrison such areas. The MP units form

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