Inside Syria’s Most Notorious Prison
The screams were deafening as the heavy door creaked open, a sound that typically signaled terror—beatings, torture, or worse. But on this fateful day, the door’s opening symbolized something unimaginable: freedom.
This was Saydnaya Prison, infamous for its brutal treatment of detainees and nicknamed the “human slaughterhouse.” For decades, it housed those opposing the Assad regime, becoming a symbol of oppression since the 2011 Syrian uprising.
Recently, rebels stormed the prison, liberating detainees who had endured years of unspeakable horrors. Four former inmates spoke to the BBC, recounting their torment and elation upon release.
“It Felt Like Escaping Death”
For 30-year-old Qasem Sobhi Al-Qabalani, the moment of freedom was surreal. “When the rebels shouted ‘Allahu Akbar,’ we looked through a tiny opening in the cell door. Instead of guards, we saw our liberators. We screamed, ‘We are here. Free us!'”
Barefoot and terrified, Qasem sprinted out of the prison, unable to look back, fearing he’d be dragged back into the nightmare. Adnan Ahmed Ghnem, another detainee, echoed the sentiment. “I couldn’t believe it. It was the best day of my life, like escaping death.”
Both men were among the countless political prisoners detained for alleged connections to the Free Syrian Army or simply for residing in opposition strongholds.
The Horrors Behind Bars
Survivors described Saydnaya as a living hell. The prison, a sprawling complex surrounded by barbed wire, was notorious for torture, forced confessions, and executions. Inmates endured malnutrition, disease, and psychological torment.
Qasem recalled his initial arrival at Saydnaya in 2016: “After that door, you are a dead person.” He described being stripped, photographed, and beaten simply for looking at a camera. He and five others were crammed into a solitary cell with no food or water for days.
The cells were cramped, with no beds and a single dim lightbulb. Twenty men shared a room, speaking only in whispers, as guards constantly listened. “Everything was banned,” said Qasem. “You could eat, drink, sleep—and die.”
Punishments were merciless. Inmates were beaten with metal rods, cables, and electric sticks. Others endured waterboarding, sexual violence, and starvation. Qasem described a punishment where guards held him upside down in a water barrel until he thought he would drown.
Adnan recalled guards forcing inmates to sit curled inside vehicle tires while they were beaten. “Every night, we thanked God we were still alive. Every morning, we prayed for death to take us in peace.”
A System of Corruption and Despair
Families of inmates were extorted for bribes to delay executions or secure basic necessities like food. Despite paying over $10,000, Qasem’s family could only reduce his sentence to 20 years.
Diseases like tuberculosis were rampant, and medical care was often denied as punishment. Malnourishment left inmates skeletal, with many dreaming of a single full meal. “My biggest dream was to eat and feel full,” Qasem said.
Guards wielded power not only to inflict pain but also humiliation. Inmates were forced into degrading acts for scraps of food, and even minor privileges like showers or sunlight were met with brutal retribution.
