Heba Haj Aref

Heba Suhaib Haj Aref (; –2024) was a Syrian human rights activist known for her advocacy for women during the Syrian civil war, particularly in northwestern Syria. In 2024, she was found dead; while the official investigation ruled her death a suicide, human rights groups have stated that she was murdered because of her activism.

Life and activism Haj Aref studied law at the University of Aleppo before settling in Bizaah, Aleppo Governorate, where she lived with her husband and children. In May 2023, she was elected to serve on Bizaah Municipal Council.

Death and investigation On 26 or 27 February 2024, Haj Aref's body was found by her family at her home in Bizaah; it was variously reported in local media that she had been found strangled, hanged, or that she had been strangled before being hanged by a noose. Due to the ongoing conflict in the area, multiple security forces operated in Bizaah, including separate forces associated with the Syrian Interim Government and the Syrian National Army. The al-Bab Security Directorate, associated with the SIG, investigated Haj Aref's death, arrested 17 suspects on 28 February; it stated that none of the suspects were associated with any military factions. Abdurrahman Mustafa, president of the Syrian Interim Government, visited Aref's family to express his condolences. The Syrian National Army did not complete its own investigation.

The European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights attributed Haj Aref's death to "pro-Turkish militias" and expressed its sympathy for her children. The German Special Envoy to Syria, Stefan Schneick, expressed his shock at Aref's death and called for those responsible to be held accountable, remembering Aref as a "courageous fighter for women's rights".