9 stories for 2026-03-18 · Political repression, arbitrary detention & extrajudicial violence
A national investigation committee looking into events that occurred in Sweida in July has revealed that 23 elements from the General Security and Ministry of Defense have been arrested and are facing trial on charges of committing violations.
A jury in Los Angeles found a former Syrian government official guilty of charges related to his role directing prisons under the regime of Bashar al-Assad. The U.S. Department of Justice announced the conviction.
A prisoner swap between Damascus and Suwayda has opened new negotiations after months of deadlock. However, internal divisions and questions over representation remain obstacles to resolving the dispute.
Israeli forces attacked worshippers and arrested several youths in Jerusalem. No additional details about the incident are provided in the source material.
Settlers attacked Palestinians and activists in the herding community of Humsa in the Jordan Valley, tying up and beating them and sexually assaulting one man. The incident is part of a broader wave of attacks in the area.
Lebanon's military court has moved to implement a government decision banning the military and security activities of Hezbollah. The court opened legal cases as part of practical enforcement of the ban.
Lebanon handed over more than 130 Syrian detainees to Damascus on Tuesday, according to a judicial source cited by AFP. The transfer was conducted in implementation of an agreement reached between the two countries in February.
Algerian police sealed the Algiers office of SOS Disappeared on 16 March 2026, a human rights organization that advocates for accountability for thousands of people forcibly disappeared during Algeria's 1990s conflict. Amnesty International's Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa characterized the closure as a blow to efforts for truth, justice, and reparations in the country.
Iranian authorities have detained ten foreign nationals among dozens of people arrested on suspicion of cooperating with Israel and the United States, according to Iranian media reports.