The Horrors of Saydnaya Prison Emerge Amid Search for Detainees Efforts to lo…

The Horrors of Saydnaya Prison Emerge Amid Search for Detainees
Efforts to locate missing detainees at the notorious Saydnaya Prison in rural Damascus have continued for two days, with teams searching for records or hidden underground chambers.
No Secret Doors Found Yet
The Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets) reports no discovery of the rumored secret doors. Equipped with sound probes and K9 units, search teams are being guided by individuals familiar with the prison’s layout. White Helmets director Raed al-Saleh stated:
“We are working tirelessly, using every resource, but so far, we have found no evidence of detainees in underground sections or secret tunnels. We will continue until every area is thoroughly inspected.”
Detainees Without Memory
Many of those released from Saydnaya show signs of severe psychological trauma, memory loss, and visible signs of torture.
Discovery of Bodies in Harasta Hospital
Opposition fighters uncovered around 40 mutilated bodies in a refrigerated storage room at Harasta Hospital, northeast of Damascus.
Muhammad al-Haj, a fighter with the Southern Operations Room, described the grisly scene:
“I opened the refrigerated room myself and saw approximately 40 bodies, all showing horrifying signs of torture—eyes gouged out, teeth pulled, and frozen blood on faces.”
Footage from the hospital showed bodies in plastic bags, some naked and bearing numbers or names written on cloth or adhesive tape. Many appeared recently deceased, while others were skeletal remains.
The Red Crescent has transported the bodies to Damascus for identification. Families have rushed to hospitals like Al-Mujtahid to search for missing relatives, many in shock and grief.
Mass Graves and Historical Atrocities
Harasta Hospital reportedly served as a central collection point for bodies from Saydnaya Prison and Tishreen Hospital, prior to transfer to mass graves. Diab Sariya, a representative of the Saydnaya Detainees and Missing Association, called for immediate documentation of these atrocities.
Scale of Torture in Syrian Prisons
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 60,000 detainees have died under torture or in inhumane conditions in Syrian regime prisons. Over 500,000 have passed through detention facilities since the start of the war. Human rights organizations frequently document methods of torture, including electrocution, sexual assault, and the removal of nails.
Calls for Accountability
Muhammad al-Haj emphasized the importance of exposing the regime’s crimes during the upcoming transitional period:
“We must reveal the atrocities committed by Assad in prisons and detention centers, to alleviate the suffering of grieving mothers. We hope Assad will be prosecuted as a war criminal.”
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