The Syrian regime’s prison system remains one of the most brutal chapters of the ongoing conflict. Thousands of political prisoners, activists, and innocent civilians have suffered unimaginable horrors within overcrowded cells, enduring torture and death at the hands of Bashar al-Assad’s forces. As the world watches, the question remains: will those responsible for these crimes ever face justice?
By PC Bureau
The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime has exposed the harrowing realities of Syria’s prison system, notorious for its systemic torture, executions, and inhumane conditions. Detainees were often held in overcrowded cells, deprived of basic necessities such as food, water, and sanitation. They were routinely subjected to torture, including beatings, electric shocks, and mock executions. Many detainees disappeared without a trace, never to be seen or heard from again.
According to a 2021 report by the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, over 100,000 people have been executed or have died in prisons of the Syrian regime. Out of them, more than 30,000 were killed in Saydnaya alone. An Amnesty International investigation found that “murder, torture, enforced disappearances and extermination carried out at Saydnaya since 2011 have been perpetrated as part of an attack against the civilian population that has been widespread, as well as systematic, and carried out in furtherance of state policy.” The report said violations at Saydnaya “amount to crimes against humanity.”
The Amnesty report describes the execution process at Saydnaya military prison, stating that victims were condemned to death in trials at the Military Field Court located in the al-Qaboun neighborhood of Damascus, which lasted between one and three minutes. “On the day the prison authorities carried out the hangings, which they referred to as “the party,” they collected the victims from their cells in the afternoon. The listed detainees were told that they would be transferred to a civilian prison. Instead, they were brought to a cell in the basement of the red building, where they were severely beaten over the course of two or three hours. In the middle of the night, they were blindfolded and transferred in delivery trucks or minibuses to the white building.
“There, they were taken into a room in the basement and hanged. This process took place once or twice a week, with between 20 and 50 people hanged to death on each occasion. Throughout this process, the victims remained blindfolded and were only told that they had been sentenced to death minutes before the executions were carried out. They were never told when their execution would be carried out, and they did not know how they would die until the nooses were placed around their necks. After the execution was carried out, the victims’ bodies were loaded into a truck, transferred to Tishreen Hospital for registration, and buried in mass graves.”
The Amnesty report, prepared after speaking to people who worked within the prison and witness testimonies from those detained, estimated that between 5,000 and 13,000 people were extrajudicially executed at Saydnaya between September 2011 and December 2015. “Amnesty International does not have evidence of executions after December 2015. However, detainees are still transferred to Saydnaya, “trials” at the Military Field Court in al-Qaboun have continued, and there is no reason to believe that executions have stopped. Therefore, since December 2015, thousands more people are likely to have been executed,” the report said.
According to the Amnesty report, the execution process at Saydnaya was secret and known only to the officials directly involved and high-level Syrian officials. “Even the guards who oversee the collection process and beatings at the red building are usually unaware of what happens to the detainees after they are transferred to the white building in the middle of the night,” it said. Officials at the highest levels of the government authorized these death sentences. “Death sentences are approved by the Grand Mufti of Syria and by either the Minister of Defence or the Chief of Staff of the Army, who are deputized to act on behalf of President Bashar al-Assad. The sentences are also signed by the head and the Military Prosecutor of the Military Field Court and a representative of the security forces. The hangings are physically overseen by an execution panel, which includes military officers, as well as prison and medical officials,” it said.
Political prisoners, including activists, journalists, and human rights defenders, were especially targeted. Many of them faced particularly severe treatment for daring to speak out against the regime. A former journalist who was imprisoned for his reporting told Al Jazeera, “They wanted me to confess to crimes I never committed. I was denied food for days and kept in solitary confinement. They would threaten me with worse if I didn’t comply.” The testimony highlights the extreme nature of the Syrian prison system, where dissent was met with unimaginable brutality
. As Al Jazeera underscores, the Syrian prison system became a symbol of the regime’s disregard for human rights, operating as a place of torment and despair. The international community must continue to exert pressure on the Syrian government to address these atrocities, improve conditions, and release all political prisoners.
The Syrian prisons were also home to a large number of political prisoners, including activists, journalists, and human rights defenders. These individuals were often targeted for their dissent and subjected to particularly harsh treatment. They were often held incommunicado and denied access to legal counsel. The Syrian prison system became a symbol of the regime’s brutality and disregard for human rights. It was a place of despair and suffering, where detainees were subjected to unimaginable cruelty. The international community must continue to pressure the Syrian regime to improve conditions in its prisons and to release all political prisoners.
The Syrian civil war has been a brutal and devastating conflict, with countless civilians caught in the crossfire. The Syrian prisons have become notorious for their appalling conditions, where detainees are subjected to unimaginable cruelty and suffering. The Syrian regime was particularly known for its brutal treatment of prisoners. Detainees were often held in overcrowded cells, deprived of basic necessities such as food, water, and sanitation. They were routinely subjected to torture, including beatings, electric shocks, and mock executions. Many detainees disappeared without a trace, never to be seen or heard from again.
The Syrian prisons were also home to a large number of political prisoners, including activists, journalists, and human rights defenders. These individuals were often targeted for their dissent and subjected to particularly harsh treatment. They were often denied basic rights, including legal representation, medical care, and even contact with their families. Many faced prolonged detentions without trial, often for simply voicing opposition to the regime. This systematic abuse of power was not just a reflection of the Assad regime’s cruelty, but also a tool of political control and intimidation, meant to silence any dissent.
Detainees in Syria’s prisons were subjected to psychological and physical torment, which left permanent scars on their bodies and minds. Survivors of these horrors have shared harrowing stories of the brutality they faced, ranging from beatings to sexual violence, and from sleep deprivation to forced confessions. These confessions, often extracted under torture, were used as evidence in sham trials designed to justify long sentences or executions.
International organizations have long condemned the Syrian regime for these violations of human rights, with multiple reports documenting the scale and nature of the torture. Despite the clear evidence, efforts to hold the regime accountable have been slow, hindered by geopolitical interests and the complexities of international diplomacy.
The Syrian conflict has created a generation of traumatized individuals, many of whom have lost family members, friends, and their own sense of security. The country’s prisons remain a symbol of the oppressive nature of the regime, a stark reminder of the price of speaking out against the government.
As the war has evolved, and as the international community has worked to bring about peace and accountability, many survivors have been forced to flee the country, seeking asylum in neighboring states or further abroad. Yet, the scars of their experiences remain, and the need for justice for those who suffered in Syria’s prisons continues to grow.
The international community must not forget the atrocities that took place within Syria’s prisons. Continued advocacy for the release of political prisoners, the prosecution of those responsible for human rights abuses, and the provision of support to the survivors of Syria’s prison system are crucial steps toward achieving justice and healing.
