The bereaved family of a brave surgeon who died in a Syrian jail hope that the truth comes out and justice is done at his inquest which starts today.

Dr Abbas Khan, 32, travelled to war-torn Syria to save hospital bombing victims but was arrested within 48 hours of entering the country in November 2012.

Dr Khan, who used to work at Epsom Hospital, was tortured and beaten and held in captivity until his death on December 16 2013, just days before his promised release.

His family remain adamant that he was cruelly murdered, even though the Syrian regime has claimed that he took his own life.

Dr Khan’s brother Dr Afroze Khan said: “We have not a single doubt. Whatever the outcome of the inquest, we are always going to believe he was murdered.

“We believe, without a doubt, that’s what happened. We hope justice is done.”

Not only do the family know his character and his circumstances in custody, but Mr Khan said they also have information from people in Syria.

Of the inquest, he said: “We are hoping that the truth comes out as to what happened to my brother. We are hoping some justice is done to my brother."

The family have blamed the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for failing to properly help Dr Khan during his 13 months of imprisonment.

His brother said: “There seems to be an on-going theme where the British government seems to be lacking in assistance to citizens abroad.”

Dr Abbas was a research fellow at the Elective Orthopaedic Centre (EOC) at Epsom Hospital while working for the hospital trust between August 2011 and January 2012.

The father of two, from Streatham, was arrested in the city of Aleppo, soon after crossing over the border from Turkey.

He was held for eight months in an underground cell and his condition deteriorated so much that at one point he weighed just five stone and could barely walk.

His mother Fatima Khan, from Mitcham, travelled to Damascus, tracked him down and managed to get him moved to another jail. But he died just when freedom was in sight.

Check this website for updates from the inquest at the Royal Courts of Justice today.