After subject of “Nahla” went public |”Rahaf”, a new victim of parent abuse
An 11-year-old girl arrived at a children’s hospital in Idlib countryside, after staying at Bab al-Hawa hospital, as she was beaten, her hair was burnt and her nails were pulled off by her father.
According to SOHR sources, the girl, Rahaf Sabawi, has been displaced with her family from Hama countryside to Idlib countryside.
On the other hand, activists called for actions against child abuse by their families, after the death of Nahla al-Othman, a nearly six-year-old girl, has turned into a case of public opinion. Reasons behind the girl’s death have varied based on accusations against her father who is directly or indirectly responsible for her death, the medical report, and a videotape shot recently by an activist and showed Nahla’s health condition.
The forensic medical report has confirmed that there were no signs of torture or beating, no bone break or fracture. However, the girl suffered old burns as well as wounds caused by fungal disease. It is worth noting that forensic doctors have confirmed that such burns and cuts do not cause death. While examination of the body after 24 hours of the death explains that the main reason behind the Nahla’s death is cardiac and respiratory dysfunctions due to respiratory depression and inhalation of food remnants.
A forensic doctor said, “There are no signs of fracture, skin injuries or other evidence on the body that proved acts of torture by her father.” “However, the father is responsible for neglecting her conditions,” the doctor added.
As reactions on the medical report differ, many questions were raised on whether the reasons mentioned in this report for the death are true or they were fabricated for fear of unwelcome consequences. A full investigation therefore has to be opened over the accident.
Though organizations have later rushed to offer help, we hoped that they had interfered before the death of Nahla. Likewise Nahla, many children are living in refugee camps and other Syrian territories under different controlling powers. Accordingly, we, at the Syrian Observatory, appeal to the concerned organizations and all international actors to rescue the Syrian children anywhere.
It is worthy to mention that Nahla was displaced with her father and his wife from Kafr Sajnah town in Idlib countryside to a refugee camp in Killi town in northern Idlib. Nahla’s father was affiliated with Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham while her divorced mother is living in Turkey. The father had shackled his daughter with a metal chain and locked her up, along with depriving her of the minimum levels of care and rights as well as his mistreatment.