Al-Panorama checkpoint in Deir Ezzor | Members of 4th Division impose levies on truck owners estimated to be nearly ten million SYP
Members of the 4th Division stationed at Al-Panorama checkpoint at the entrance of Deir Ezzor city continue oppressing the owners of trucks with the aim of collecting levies, where they force the truck drivers to stay at the checkpoint for three to five hours under the pretext of “inspecting trucks and checking IDs of their owners.” The checkpoint’s members also collect levies from the owners of other cars, but those levies are relatively lower than the levies collected from truck owners.
Speaking to SOHR, a truck driver known by his initials as A. D. from Dier Ezzor city commented on oppression practiced by members of the 4th Division, saying “everyone is asked to pay levies depending on the size of the vehicle and its cargo. I seriously think of changing my career and sell the truck. During a trip from Damascus to Al-Bokamal I pay levies of nearly ten million SYP to checkpoints deployed along the highway, but the largest share is paid to the 4th Division’s checkpoints whose members are the greediest.”
Another truck driver known as R. A. told SOHR about his suffering while crossing checkpoints of the 4th Division saying “not only do members stationed at Al-Panorama checkpoint at the entrance of Deir Ezzor city oppress us, but also members stationed at Al-Bel’oum checkpoint at the entrance of Al-Mayadeen city impose strict security measures and blackmail drivers. The two checkpoints belong to the 4th Division. Crossing through one of the two checkpoints does not mean that we are allowed to cross through the other checkpoint without being inspected and paying levies. Sometimes, we stay at both checkpoints for nearly six hours. When we, truck rivers, head to Al-Bokamal, we have to cross through Al-Bel’oum checkpoint, unlike the drivers of other vehicles whose trips end in Deir Ezzor.”
The driver of a refrigerated truck known as S. H. told SOHR “I cross through the checkpoint at least three times a week. The higher number of crossing through the checkpoint does reduce the value of the levies. I pay nearly six million SYP in every trip, equivalent to 20 million SYP a week. What profits remains for me and my children?!”
In a testimony to SOHR, another driver known as M. A. commented on the drivers’ sufferings, saying “the sufferings which we face when we cross through checkpoints in general, and Al-Panorama crossing in particular, have become familiar. We keep tools in hour vehicles to make tea, mate and coffee, as the trip takes eight up to 15 hours, while the checkpoints’ members never care about the safety of our cargos which may be damaged or spoiled, which as vegetables, milk and cheese. I hope that I can pay the levy without staying at the checkpoint for a long time. Finally, we are forced to pay the levies, but they resist on clamping down on us.”