For over a decade, Syria’s civil war has devastated the country, leaving over half a million people dead and countless others displaced or missing. The collapse of the Assad regime earlier this month, following a 24-year reign of repression, has marked a turning point that has opened the doors to Syria’s most notorious prisons. Families rushed to detention centers and suspected mass graves, desperately searching for any trace of their missing loved ones.
Saidnaya Prison, located north of Damascus, epitomizes the brutalities of Bashar al-Assad’s rule. Established in 1987, it became synonymous with mass executions, systematic torture, and forced disappearances. Amnesty International’s 2017 report, “Human Slaughterhouse,” detailed shocking abuses, including severe beatings, starvation, electric shocks, and other harrowing forms of torture.
International investigators, including Robert Petit, head of the UN Mechanism for Criminal Investigations in Syria, has emphasized the urgency of preserving evidence for future prosecutions. Petit underscored the need for coordination among stakeholders to protect the documentation of the crimes committed within these facilities.
Human rights groups estimate that over 100,000 people have perished in Syrian prisons since 2011. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has likened Saidnaya’s atrocities to Cambodia’s Tuol Sleng Prison under the Khmer Rouge which is now a museum that commemorates victims of genocide.
In this exclusive interview, DevelopmentAid speaks with Wadih Al Asmar, a renowned human rights advocate and the co-founder of the Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH). Al Asmar is also a founding member and Secretary-General of FEMED, an organization that is dedicated to combating enforced disappearances across the Euro-Mediterranean region. He sheds light on the horrors endured by prisoners in Syrian detention centers and the urgent need for justice and accountability in post-Assad Syria.
DevelopmentAid: Can you explain how torture in Bashar al-Assad’s prisons was systematic and organized? What were the most common methods that have been documented?
Wadih Al Asmar: From our work at the Lebanese Center for Human Rights, which began in the 1990s, we have documented extensive torture practices in Syrian prisons. Through testimonies from survivors, we found that nearly every form of torture known globally was employed in these facilities. Methods ranged from sleep and food deprivation to physical beatings and electric shocks.
One particularly heinous method was enforced disappearance. Victims were stripped of all contact with the outside world, leaving their families in agonizing uncertainty. Many detainees reported psychological torture, where they were misled into believing they would be released, only to face execution or further imprisonment. This psychological torment often left deeper scars than physical abuse.
DevelopmentAid: Reports describe Saidnaya and Mezze prisons as centers of mass executions and torture. Did your organization gather evidence regarding Lebanese and Syrian prisoners subjected to such treatment?
Wadih Al Asmar: Absolutely. Even before the Syrian uprising, we documented cases of severe abuse. Survivors, including those released as early as the 1990s and 2000s, provided harrowing testimonies. Unfortunately, these accounts were often met with skepticism or neglect by the international community.
The scale of abuse was so shocking that many preferred disbelief over confronting the reality. Syrian human rights groups also played a key role in documenting these crimes and, with Assad’s fall, more survivors are likely to come forward, revealing the full extent of the atrocities.
DevelopmentAid: Testimonies mention extreme abuse such as electric shocks, rape, and physical torture. How did these methods impact Syrian and Lebanese prisoners, and were cases of enforced disappearances recorded?
Wadih Al Asmar: These methods left deep physical and psychological scars. Survivors often endured permanent disabilities or mental trauma. In Lebanon alone, we estimate around 17,000 people remain missing, with at least 600 suspected to have been transferred to Syria.
Among Syrians, the number of enforced disappearances exceeds 100,000. Addressing this tragedy is one of the biggest challenges facing the new Syrian state. Identifying and addressing these cases requires extensive coordination, forensic analysis, and legal frameworks.
DevelopmentAid: How did you verify the testimonies of survivors, and are there plans to expand evidence collection?
Wadih Al Asmar: Before Assad’s fall, verification relied heavily on cross-referencing testimonies, psychological assessments, and our expertise in detention systems. Survivors often shared consistent details about prison layouts and torture methods, enabling us to validate their accounts.
Moving forward, Syrian organizations must lead the efforts, but we stand ready to assist with expertise in documenting abuses and rehabilitating victims. Immediate medical examinations and psychological evaluations for released detainees will be critical in preserving evidence.
DevelopmentAid: Has there been any shift in the international response to these abuses? How can your organization push for accountability?
Wadih Al Asmar: The global narrative has shifted drastically. Just months ago, several European and UN officials pushed to normalize relations with Assad, hoping for reconstruction deals. Now, with Assad’s fall, many of these same actors are scrambling to align with Syria’s new leadership.
This shift provides a window of opportunity to hold perpetrators accountable. We are working to establish mechanisms for prosecuting war crimes committed by both regime forces and opposition groups involved in atrocities against civilians.
Our primary goal is to ensure that the collapse of Assad’s regime does not result in amnesty for those responsible. Accountability is the foundation for lasting peace in Syria.
DevelopmentAid: What positive steps do you envisage to address the legacy of Syria’s detention centers and support victims moving forward?
Wadih Al Asmar: Justice must be the cornerstone of Syria’s reconstruction. A transparent and independent judicial system is vital for prosecuting crimes, compensating victims, and rebuilding trust. Without this, Syria risks perpetuating cycles of violence and impunity.
My hope is that Syria’s new leadership prioritizes justice and human rights, ensuring the country moves toward a fair and democratic future.
