January 2012

Dignity Martyrs in Darayya

Violation Documenting Center VDC

2

Dignity Revolution’s Martyrs in Darayya, Rif Dimashq

Report by VDC

January 2012

The City of Darayya Darayya, Rif Dimashq province, is located 8 km east of Damascus, close to Mezze, al-

Moadamiyeh, Sahnaya, and Qadam. With an area of 27km2, Darayya is the biggest city in West

Ghouta.

There are different sources attributing the origin of the name to different origins, one of which

attribute the name to a Syriac origin, in which Darayya means “many houses”, deriving from

“Dar”, which means “house or home”.

The majority of the population of the city works in agriculture. Major crops are grapes, olives, and

wheat. Some Darayyans gained the city its reputation for furniture manufacturing and trading,

while some work in livestock farming.

The population of the city is 250,000, 25% of which are university and college graduates and/or

students.

Sunni Islam is the religion of the majority of Darayya’s population, with 1% Christians, who have

a cultural and social evident presence. Churches have contributed to aid and relief work in the city,

and have rung out their bells several times during the funerals of the martyrs of the town.

Before the revolution, Darayya was known as a place for nonviolent activism, which started as

early as 2002 when Darayyans demonstrated in solidarity with the town of Jennin in Palestine. In

2003, Darayyans went on silent marches against the invasion of Iraq, and against corruption and

bribery. Most activists were arrested and subjected to arbitrary trials. Nonetheless, Darayya has

been always considered an icon for nonviolent and peaceful activism, because it went beyond

demands to raising awareness about coexistence and citizenship.

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Darayya in the Revolution Nonviolent activists took part in the revolution since it started, to be joined later with the most of

the population of the city. The first demonstration in Darayya was on Friday, 25 March 2011, and

was limited to only a few protestors.

The regime used live ammunition to shoot at protesters on Good Friday, 22 April 2011. Three

protesters were killed under direct fire. Al-Moataz Billah al-Shaar, Ammar Fares, and Mahmoud

Walid Rafik Khoulani were the first Darayyans martyrs in the Revolution.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y4F6tpXi1Yhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y4F6tpXi1Yhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y4F6tpXi1Y

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Their funerals turned into the biggest demonstration in Darayya, with 40,000 people attending

the funeral.

The regime responded with firing at demonstrators and arbitrary arrests, while the people of

Darayya kept on their peaceful demonstrations and exceptionally amazing nonviolent initiatives,

such as giving away flowers and water to the soldiers.

Darayyan women contributed to the city’s involvement in the revolution with protesting, aid

work, and media activities.

Darayya was under the jurisdiction of the infamous Air Force Intelligence, which led massive

arbitrary arrest raids, during which 2400 people were detained.

900 are still detained by the regime, most of whom were subjected to forced disappearances.

Armed rebellion in Darayya started in the last quarter of 2011; however, public presence of the

FSA was on 21 January 2012.

Later on, the number of martyrs distinctively increased due to the clashes between the FSA and

the Syrian regime forces, but it stayed within the same rates for months, until the Massacre of

Darayya in August 2012.

During the second crackdown on the city in November 2012, more than 200,000 civilians were

displaced to different areas in Rif Dimashq, especially in Sahnaya and its surrounding areas.

The first aerial bombardment of Darayya by the regime was on 13 November 2012. Some parts of

the city are now under FSA control. FSA battalions are engaging in brutal clashes against regime

forces to prevent another storming into the city.

Martyrs of the Revolution:

VDC documented 1258 martyrs in Darayya between March 2011 till the end of December 2012.

114 martyrs were not from Darayya but were killed in the city, 148 unidentified martyrs, of which

116 cases were documented with video and photographic evidence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yf8Zbx1CxAhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yf8Zbx1CxA

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During 2011, the martyrs’ rate was 3 martyrs/month.

Starting 2012, the martyrs’ rate increased. It reached 35 martyrs/month between January and July

2012.

21% of the martyrs in Darayya that were documented until the end of December 2011 were killed

between March 2011 and July 2012.

Apr May Jun Jul Aug Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2011 2012

Total 3 2 1 1 2 4 2 3 25 27 33 27 29 39 67 537 34 58 230 134

3 2 1 1 2 4 2 3 25 27 33 27 29 39

67

537

34 58

230

134

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

68

116

مجهول الهوية184 Unidentified 184

غير موثق

موثق

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2012

5 3

18

10

1

18 14

25 22

59

9

Unknown/مجهولي الهوية

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43% of the martyrs were killed under direct fire and sniper shots. 24% were killed with

artillery shelling. 22% were killed in summary executions, which was the highest rate of

summary executions in the research areas.

Martyrs to population rate between March 2011 and January 2012 is 0.005.

90% of the martyrs were civilians, and 10% were not civilians.

92% of the martyrs were males, and 8% were females.

Two FSA children martyrs were documented.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

اطالق نار shooting

تعذيب -اعتقال detention-

torture

اعدام ميداني field

execution

تعذيب -خطف kidnapping-

torture

قصف مدفعي warplane shelling

قصف جوي artillery shelling

43%

5%

22%

2%

24%

3%

Death Cause -سبب الوفاة

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

نسبة االناث Female

نسبة الذكور Male

نسبة الغير مدنين Not Civilian

نسبة المدنين Civilian

8%

92%

10%

90%

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Civilian Martyrs:

Non-civilians Martyrs

0

100

200

300

400

500

Apr May Jun Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2011 2012

1 2 1 4 2 1 25 21 30 24 25 28

41

482

30 50

164

94

Civilian

مدني

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Apr Jul Aug Dec Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2011 2012

1 1 2 2 4 3

1 2

7

17

23

3 6

45

34

Not Civilian

غير مدني

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The Massacre of Darayya

On 20 August 2012, regime forces launched a military attack on the city, which escalated until it

peaked on 25 August. The attack on the city started with artillery bombardment, after which regime

forces stormed into the city, and carried out a series of summary executions. 329 martyrs of the 537

martyrs of the massacres were killed in one day. 132 martyrs were killed in their homes, including

52 children and 36 women.

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

اطالق نار shooting

تعذيب -اعتقال detention-

torture

اعدام ميداني field

execution

تعذيب -خطف kidnapping-

torture

قصف مدفعي warplane shelling

270

10

132

6

119

Daraya Massacre- مجزرة داريا

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Link to Darayya’s Martyrs Report (Some names and details are hidden for security measures)

http://cutt.us/oFkC

Link to Darayya’s Martyrs who are from outside of Daraya but were martyred in Daraya

http://cutt.us/gqP4

----------------------------

We Thank activists of Daraya LCC Coordination Committee Documentation Office for their cooperation with us

in the completion of the report.

mail-s, you can contact us through our eFor any comments or question

Email us at:

vdc.syria2012@gmail.com

www.vdc-sy.org

0

100

200

300

400

500

Adult Female/ -أنثى

بالغة

Child Female/ طفلة -أنثى

Adult Male / بالغ -ذكر

child male / طفل -ذكر

25 36 21

426

31

Civilan -مدني Not Civilian -غير مدني

http://cutt.us/oFkChttp://cutt/mailto:vdc.syria2012@gmail.com