Liberation of prisons in Syria- some heart breaking stories come out….

Still, there is much manufactured news, too. A Turkish fact-checker listed some of them!

In the past few days, Syria has experienced significant developments regarding its prison system, particularly following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Here’s a summary of the recent prison-related news from Syria:

Liberation of Sednaya Prison

• Syrian rebels, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), took control of the notorious Sednaya prison near Damascus[1][8].
• Thousands of inmates, including women and children, were freed from Sednaya, which was known as a “human slaughterhouse”[1][4].
• Footage showed rebels breaking open cell doors and telling inmates they were free[1].

Search for Hidden Prisoners

• The White Helmets deployed specialized emergency teams to investigate reports of secret entrances and hidden underground cells at Sednaya[3][4].
• Efforts were made to unlock electronic doors to underground levels, with authorities calling on former regime staff to provide access codes[3].
• As of December 10, the Syrian Civil Defence concluded its search operations, expressing disappointment at being unable to find more prisoners[6].

Other Prison Liberations

• Rebels freed prisoners from various facilities across Syria as they advanced through the country[7].
• Over 3,500 prisoners were released from Homs Military Prison[7].

Aftermath and Reunions

• Thousands of former detainees were seen in the streets of Damascus, many showing signs of torture and malnutrition[9].
• A mosque about 20km from Sednaya became a meeting point for freed prisoners to locate their relatives[4].
• Families flocked to prisons, hoping to find news of loved ones who had disappeared during the conflict[6].

Discovery at Harasta Hospital

• Dozens of bodies, believed to be detainees from Sednaya prison, were found inside Harasta hospital[6].

Ongoing Concerns

• Questions remain about the full extent of Sednaya’s underground sections and the potential for more hidden prisoners[4][5].
• Human rights organizations estimate that over 100,000 people have died in Assad’s prisons since 2011, many under torture[9].

This rapid series of events has brought to light the extent of the Syrian regime’s prison system and the atrocities committed within it, while also raising questions about the fate of those still missing.

Citations:

1. Syrian Rebels Unable to Unlock Sednaya Prison Underground – Middle East Eye
2. Assad’s Human Slaughterhouses: What to Know About Syria’s Prisons – Al Jazeera
3. White Helmets Working to Uncover Hidden Chambers at Notorious Syrian Prison – Anadolu Agency
4. Death Camp: The Haunting History of Syria’s Sednaya Prison – France 24
5. Syria’s Assad Prisons: Human Rights Detainees and Saydnaya Stories – AP News
6. Syrian Rescuers End Search for Prisoners Inside Sednaya Prison – Middle East Eye
7. Syria’s Infamous Sednaya Prison: BBC Analysis – BBC News
8. Syria: Prisoners Freed from Infamous Sednaya Jail – France 24 (Video)
9. Prisoners Stagger Free from Syria’s Slaughterhouse Jail – France 24
10. Sednaya Prison in Syria: A Dark History of Detention – The New York Times