Douma residents call out local courts as regime pressure mounts

FALSE PROMISES: A handful of residents in opposition-held Douma reportedly held a silent protest against the encircled city’s judiciary council on Wednesday as the regime continues its total encirclement of the town.

“We died of hunger and begged you for promises,” reads the sign a protester holds, purportedly addressing a well-known Islamic judge in Douma posted to Facebook Wednesday.

A Douma-based activist, who asked to remain anonymous, told Syria Direct that the protest was led by a family demanding the release of their relative who is being detained by the United Judiciary Council, the official court of Douma.

Tensions are increasing following a string of assassinations against rebel leadership and increasingly inhumane living conditions in the Jaysh al-Islam-ruled city.

Humanitarian conditions in the East Ghouta city have dramatically deteriorated since the beginning of November, when the regime captured the last major supply road into the city.

Prices have skyrocketed since last month, with one Douma resident telling Syria Direct that he and his family eat only one meal a day because of the increased costs.

-December 4, 2014

Photo courtesy of @Jeblawe_7ur. 

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