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Syrian rebels free prisoners from Assad's notorious dungeons

Syrian rebels free prisoners from Assad's notorious dungeons

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The fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime has led to a massive influx of people to the Sednaya prison, where tens of thousands of Syrians were imprisoned and tortured by the regime. Despite the efforts of authorities to free prisoners, many have been unable to access the prison due to the sheer number of detainees. However, the release of many detainees by rebel forces has raised hopes for those searching for their loved ones.

Omar Saoud
1. Access to the facility is still restricted due to its complex locking system, and the personnel who once operated it are no longer at the site.
Aymeric Elluin
Amnesty International
1. We relied on acoustic memories of former detainees to build a detailed picture of the prison's operations.
2. Executions occurred regularly, usually on Monday and Wednesday.
Amnesty International
1. Torture isn't used to obtain information, but seemingly as a way to degrade, punish and humiliate. Prisoners are targeted relentlessly, unable to 'confess' to save themselves from further beatings.
Association of Detainees and The Missing in Saydnaya Prison
1. ADMSP confirms the release of the last detainee from Saydnaya Prison yesterday, December 8, 2024, at 11:00 am Damascus time.
Omar Al-Shogre
1. A hundred democracies in the world had done nothing to help them, and now a few military groups came down and broke open prison after prison.
2. The road to justice is shorter than ever before. Even though [Assad] is in Russia, I think at some point we'll be able to grab a hold of him and bring him to justice.
3. This family has been in power for 50 years. They have tortured, they have starved, they have killed and displaced millions of Syrians. There is nothing that could bring a Syrian more joy than the fall of this family.
White Helmets
1. The search did not uncover any unopened or hidden areas within the facility.
2. We share the profound disappointment of the families of the thousands who remain missing and whose fates remain unknown.
3. The teams are guided by individuals familiar with the prison's intricate details, along with information from people contacted by families who claim knowledge of hidden entrances or basements.
Diab Serriya
Association of Detainees and The Missing in Saydnaya Prison
1. This is where they used to send people who were killed in detention centres and at checkpoints.
Lina Khatib
SOAS Middle East Institute
1. Anxiety about being thrown in one of Assad's notorious prisons created wide mistrust among Syrians.
2. Assad nurtured this culture of fear to maintain control and crush political opposition.