Demand justice today
This message is from Hanadi Zahlout, a Syrian activist and journalist reporting on coastal sectarian violence. As we await the Interim Government’s investigation into the massacres, she urges us to share survivors’ stories and demand justice. Share her voice today.
My name is Hanadi Zahlout, and four months ago my three brothers were killed together in front of their homes, simply because of their religious sect.
On March 7, an armed group affiliated with the Interim Government was searching homes in Sanawbar, my village in the countryside of Jableh on Syria’s Mediterranean coast. My mother called me, her voice shaking, barely able to speak through her fear. I tried to assure her that everything would be ok. I told her it was just a routine check, that there were no weapons at our home – that’s what we thought at first they were searching for – and that my brothers had never held arms, so they would be safe.
Later that day, I found out my three older brothers Ahmad (58), Ali (52), and Abdelmohsen (56) were shot in the street, after refusing to kneel. They were heroes until the very end. On 7 March alone, 236 civilians were killed in my village as part of a wider sectarian massacre along the coast, which killed almost 1,500 people over the course of three days.
We expect the Interim Government to release the findings of its investigation into the crimes committed on the coast at any moment. We know the truth, but we are still waiting for it to be acknowledged. We are waiting for our pain and our rights to be recognized. For the authorities to take responsibility. For those responsible to face justice. We wait, still, for accountability and truth.
My home area is still surrounded by checkpoints. The killings continue and people live in constant fear, unable to resume their lives or even perform basic daily tasks like farming or moving along the roads. Families of the victims are still denied the dignity of burying their loved ones. Survivors continue to search in vain for healing. Homes lie in ruins, and children live in perpetual terror.
Even now, people do not feel safe enough to mourn within their own communities.They wait for a safe space to grieve for our loved ones. The Interim Government investigation must begin by uncovering the truth about what happened and putting an end to the killings.
Despite several inquiries – including a recent Reuters report that exposed the chain of command behind the massacres and their direct connection to the interim authorities and documented the crimes – the violence continues.
Just as before the fall of the regime, when I was part of the revolution – writing, documenting crimes, and demonstrating – I now speak out again. Back then, I was arrested three times by Assad’s forces and tortured for telling the truth. Today I once again stand in solidarity with the victims, reporting their stories and demanding justice. By sharing my story you can help counter the denial and put pressure on Syrian authorities to reveal the truth.