Syrian security officials beat and insulted a transgender woman, according to BBC Arabic and statements issued by local activist groups over the past week.
The officials allegedly told the woman, "Take your p**** out so we can cut it off," BBC Arabic reported, citing a video circulating of the incident.
إنها #سوريا في زمن حرية الدوAعشحقوق الإنسان واحدة لا تتجزأ و حرية مجتمع المثليين LGBTIQA+ هي جزء من حقوق الإنسان و حريته يوماً بعد يوم نرى شواهد تؤكد أن #سوريا_الجديدة أكثر ظلماً من #سوريا_الأسد قبل أيام كتبت تغريدة قلت فيها أنه مع سقوط نظام الدكتاتور بشار الأسد فقدنا أشياء… pic.twitter.com/Sp1TXL7dtx
— Cîhad Koro ☀️ (@kocihadro) February 6, 2025
An anonymous security source in the Damascus government revealed to the BBC that the forces had arrested three transgender people this week - but claimed that the arrests were not part of a comprehensive campaign.
The goal of the arrests was to "send a message to these people that they should not appear freely in the area and stop their activities in front of the people," the anonymous official claimed.
Syrian law criminalizes relationships that it considers “sexual intercourse contrary to nature” according to Article 520 of the Penal Code of 1949.