Death of a Young Man 15 Days After His Arrest in Homs and Delay in Delivering the Body

Homs Governorate: The delivery of the body of a young Christian man from the village of Kafra in the Wadi al-Nasara area of western Homs countryside has been delayed after he died 15 days following his arrest in the Balouna military prison in the city of Homs, reportedly due to violations related to supplies, according to sources close to the family.
The sources indicated that there was an agreement with security authorities to deliver the body and hold burial ceremonies, with a commitment not to open the coffin during burial; however, the delivery has been delayed for reasons yet unknown.
The same sources said it was difficult to obtain accurate information about the young man’s whereabouts during his detention, as the security initially denied his presence in their custody. The family was later informed on the day of his death that he had died of a heart attack. Meanwhile, other sources reported that the death occurred under torture inside the prison, raising conflicting accounts about the circumstances of his death and calling for a transparent investigation.
The security authorities had arrested the young man on August 25, and family sources stated that he was subjected to torture during detention and forced to make confessions that were later used against him.