The Secretary-General of the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC), Haytham Rahmeh, stated that hundreds of thousands of Syrians have been subjected to brutal torture in the Assad regime’s prisons due to their political positions or participation in peaceful demonstrations across various Syrian regions. He emphasized that these individuals continue to suffer from severe physical and psychological traumas due to the international community’s failure to rescue detainees or uncover their fates.
On the anniversary of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, observed on June 26 each year, Rahmeh highlighted that the international community’s leniency in dealing with the Assad regime has allowed it to use excessive brutality against detainees, turning prisons into what Amnesty International has dubbed “human slaughterhouses.” This assertion is supported by numerous reports and documented evidence, including the harrowing photos leaked by Caesar, which remain etched in the world’s memory for their depiction of cruel and degrading treatment and torture leading to death in the regime’s prisons.
Rahmeh called for decisive international measures to prevent torture, punish its perpetrators, and establish binding mechanisms to free detainees and ensure accountability for the Assad regime’s various crimes against humanity. He stressed the importance of ensuring that no criminal escapes justice and urged international organizations to support the survivors and families of victims, providing them with the necessary assistance to ensure redress and achieve justice.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) issued a special report on Wednesday to mark the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. The report documented the deaths of at least 15,383 Syrians under torture from March 2011 until June 2024, including 199 children and 115 women.
The Network noted that 157,287 detainees continue to suffer from torture, including 5,264 children and 10,221 women, with the Assad regime responsible for detaining 86% of them.
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
