The Syrian Ministry of Interior announced Saturday the arrest of several former guards from Sednaya Prison, long notorious for abuse and executions under the Assad regime. The ministry said the arrests followed a security operation involving intelligence gathering and surveillance in the Houla and Talkalakh areas of Homs province.
Internal Security official Muhammad Abdulqadir said the operation targeted guards who attempted to flee the country. He noted that the confessions obtained revealed systematic torture and executions of detainees during their time at the facility.
The ministry added that those detained were brought before the judiciary. In a statement, it emphasized that “there will be no tolerance for those who tamper with the security of the nation and its citizens.”
Confessions and Confrontations Made Public
On August 23, the Interior Ministry broadcast video footage of former guards confessing to abuses. Some admitted to overseeing mass executions, while one recounted requesting women from prison officials to commit sexual assaults. The broadcast also showed former prisoners confronting their jailers face to face. Survivors described torture methods and repeated violations carried out against detainees before their executions.
Interior Minister Anas Khattab referenced one such moment in a message on X. Sharing an image of a prisoner free before his former guard, now imprisoned, Khattab wrote, “This image is enough to send a message to every oppressed free person: no matter how long the night of injustice and criminality lasts, the sun of freedom and dignity must rise again, no matter how long the wait.”
Justice After Years of Abuses
Khattab added that justice would reach every oppressor, regardless of efforts to escape accountability. “The truth does not die with the passage of time,” he wrote, calling the confrontations a story of “pain and hope between the past and the future.”
The Interior Ministry stressed that security forces remain committed to pursuing those responsible for crimes committed during Assad’s rule. In July, the ministry announced the arrest of Col. Thaer Hussein, a former assistant to the director of Sednaya Prison, who was captured while hiding in Tartus province. Officials said Hussein was implicated in war crimes and violations against detainees and was referred to the judiciary for legal proceedings.
Ongoing Pursuit of Accountability
The ministry reiterated its pledge to continue pursuing perpetrators and urged citizens not to shelter those responsible for abuses. “The Internal Security Forces will spare no effort in protecting every individual on this land,” the ministry said in a statement.
The release of the footage marks a significant step in confronting a legacy of torture, executions, and repression inside Sednaya Prison. For many former detainees, the public confrontation between prisoners and their jailers symbolizes both accountability and the possibility of justice long denied.
