Salwa Aksoy, a member of the political committee of the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) and coordinator of the National Commission for Detainees and Missing Persons Affairs, emphasized the imperative of reinforcing UN reports that expose the crimes of the Assad regime. Aksoy stresses that accountability must be ensured to address these grave violations.
Aksoy welcomed the recent report released by the Independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria, titled “No End in Sight: Torture and ill-treatment in the Syrian Arab Republic 2020-2023.” The report corroborates existing knowledge of the regime’s atrocities. Aksoy highlighted that the objective of proving brutal torture and mass killings in Assad’s prisons extends beyond establishing the crimes; it aims to document the rights of the regime’s victims.
The Independent Commission of Inquiry’s report, covering the period from January 1, 2020, to April 30, 2023, provides evidence of ongoing torture, ill-treatment, and enforced disappearances in Assad’s prisons. It draws upon 254 survivor interviews, revealing the harrowing experiences of detainees subjected to various torture methods. These methods include prolonged hanging from one or both wrists, confinement within tires, severe beatings with green hoses, wires, and other tools, as well as electrocution.
Moreover, the report exposes the inhumane detention conditions prevailing in Assad’s prisons. Overcrowding, scarcity of food and water, and the rampant spread of diseases characterize these facilities. Tragically, numerous deaths have occurred due to ill-treatment and lack of healthcare.
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
