Doctors and Lawyers

The Syrian government had also forcibly disappeared, arbitrarily detained, tortured, and ill-treated medics and lawyers providing assistance to the wounded and detained, and subjected them to unfair trials. Lawyers working on behalf of political detainees in Syria have regularly informed Human Rights Watch when the government has detained physicians, nurses, and other first responders because of their work, including helping wounded protesters. Lawyers themselves have also been targeted for defending the rights of political detainees and working to document abuses.