By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Following the rebel takeover of Saydnaya prison, reports emerged of numerous detainees trapped in hidden underground cells. The White Helmets are investigating these reports, deploying specialized teams to locate and free the prisoners. Authorities are seeking assistance from former regime personnel to access electronically locked underground areas, where CCTV footage indicates the presence of over 100,000 detainees. Videos circulating online show the rescue of prisoners, including women and children, as rebel forces continue freeing detainees from various prisons across Syria.
Read the original article here
Reports of people trapped underground at a notorious Syrian prison have surfaced following the fall of the Assad regime, sparking widespread concern and outrage. The sheer scale of the alleged situation is staggering; claims suggest that over 100,000 detainees remain unseen and unreachable, despite being visible on CCTV monitors within the prison. This has led to comparisons with uncovering hidden misdeeds after a dismissal, only on a drastically larger and more horrific scale.
The inability to access these individuals, despite their visible presence on camera feeds, is deeply unsettling. It raises serious questions about the prison’s design, the location of these unseen cells, and the technological capabilities of the regime. The possibility of extensive, hidden underground cells is not entirely far-fetched, given the historical brutality associated with this specific prison and the regime’s overall propensity for inhumane practices.
Reports detail the horrifying conditions endured within the prison walls, painting a picture of systematic abuse and widespread cruelty. Video evidence has emerged, purportedly showing a hydraulic press in a room with a large quantity of nooses; the suggested use of this device for crushing the bodies of those already hanged further underscores the unimaginable barbarity at play.
The presence of children among the detainees is particularly harrowing. Footage shows children of various ages, some as young as three or four, released from confinement. The Assad regime’s policy was to jail them until they turned eighteen, at which point they faced execution under terrorism charges. The sheer number of children subjected to these horrific conditions is appalling and highlights the regime’s calculated cruelty.
The reports also suggest a chilling pattern of abuse against female prisoners, with widespread claims of repeated rape and the subsequent incarceration of their children. This creates a cycle of suffering across generations, highlighting the depth of depravity within the prison walls. The conditions described are so severe that the saying, “Whoever enters Sidnaya Prison is missing, and whoever comes out is like he’s being born anew,” encapsulates the grim reality of the facility.
The sheer scale of the potential number of detainees, initially reported as 100,000, has been questioned, and some suggest this may be an overestimation, perhaps arising from the vast size of the prison complex and the sheer density of prisoners within visible areas. Regardless of the precise number, the scale of incarceration, the widespread abuse, and the inaccessibility of many prisoners remain profoundly disturbing. The logistical challenge of housing even a fraction of that number, especially given reports of extremely cramped conditions, points towards the vastness of the prison complex and the potential existence of unknown subterranean sections.
However, the suggestion of 100,000 prisoners held in a single facility seems logistically improbable. It’s possible that the 100,000 figure represents the total number of detainees across multiple facilities, with the centralized surveillance systems mentioned contributing to the confusion. Several reports suggest a significant network of clandestine prisons, tucked away beneath seemingly ordinary buildings, including schools, hospitals, and even residential areas. This further emphasizes the pervasiveness of the regime’s brutality, its deep-seated intention to hide its acts from the outside world.
The accounts of the prison’s conditions, while horrifying, are consistent with other reports and accounts from Amnesty International and other organizations. These accounts consistently highlight the extreme violence, torture, and murder that characterized life within these walls. The use of methods like the hydraulic press, while shocking, fits with the broader pattern of extreme brutality employed by the regime.
The reports also mention the significant challenge in verifying information coming out of Syria, given the limitations on press freedom and the potential for propaganda. Distinguishing between factual information and propaganda remains a key challenge. The sheer number of deaths and the scale of the atrocities means that verification, while essential, is likely to be a lengthy process.
Regardless of the potential for exaggeration in certain aspects of the reports, the overarching picture of a vast network of prisons, utilizing extreme brutality, to detain and eliminate political opponents and innocent civilians, cannot be dismissed. The reports serve as a stark reminder of the Assad regime’s horrors and the need for accountability for the atrocities committed. The challenges in verifying details should not diminish the need for a thorough investigation into the fates of those still unaccounted for and those who have perished.