It seems that the Syrian government couldn't surprise anyone anymore. The luxury of the presidential palaces could only impress the rebels. It has been almost a week since the anti-government forces declared the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria. Events unfolded rapidly: the rebels first discovered the luxury of the presidential palace in Damascus, then found an astonishing underground bunker beneath the younger brother's residence, and now hundreds of people are flocking to the infamous "Saidnaya" prison hoping to learn the fate of their loved ones.
Western and Turkish media have been releasing videos showing the rebels freeing prisoners, searching for the entrance to the secret underground levels of the prison, and examining bodies with signs of torture. When asked if the Kremlin would reconsider granting political asylum to Bashar al-Assad after the conditions of the prisons in Syria became known, Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman for the Russian President, deemed the question inappropriate, saying that "each individual case should be based on information."
So far, it seems that the world hasn't learned anything truly new about the governance in Syria in recent years, judging by the testimonies that have been made public. It all began with the fact that Bashar al-Assad never intended to become the leader of Syria, nor has he been prepared for it. It was supposed to be Bassel al-Assad, the elder son of his father, Hafez al-Assad. Bassel was popular, had the necessary charisma for politics, and held a doctoral degree in military service. In January 1994, Bassel al-Assad died in a car accident at the age of 31. And so Bashar, who was considered a shy botanist, took his place. The younger son of the dictator studied to become an ophthalmologist and moved to the UK two years before his brother's death. He continued his studies at St Mary's Hospital in the Paddington area of London, where he openly expressed his fascination with the Western way of life.
Bashar al-Assad graduated from high school in 1982, the same year the "Hama massacre" occurred. Government troops besieged, bombed, and then stormed the country's fourth-largest city with a population of 350,000. The reason for the siege was an uprising by the Muslim Brotherhood (an organization banned in Russia), but as a result, according to different estimates, 15,000 to 20,000 people were killed, many simply disappeared. People were afraid to speak openly about Hama, referring to the events as simply "incidents." In 2000, Bashar al-Assad inherited not only power from his father, but also the divide between different population groups that had not forgotten about the "Hama massacre."
Assad's rule began with an attempt to modernize Syria's regime in a neoliberal vein. However, this only increased tensions in society and within the ruling elite. The "Arab Spring" began in the Middle East, with civil wars taking place in Libya, and revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia. Protesters overthrew Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who had ruled for 24 years, and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who had ruled for 30 years.
In Syria, it all started in 2011 in the city of Daraa with a teenage prank. Several schoolchildren began writing anti-government slogans on the walls of houses, including the phrase "Your turn, Doctor." On March 6, 2011, agents of the secret police, the "Mukhabarat," arrested 15 teenagers aged 10 to 15. Later, one of them spoke about the beatings. Two weeks after the children's arrest, their relatives came to the police station and demanded their release. However, the police opened fire on the crowd, resulting in the deaths of three people on the spot, and another died later from injuries. The next day, thousands of people gathered for the funerals of the deceased, chanting revolutionary slogans, while the police attempted to disperse them with batons and tear gas. Bashar al-Assad expressed his condolences to the families of those killed in the shooting at the police station and promised a government investigation into the incident. On March 20, a commission arrived in Daraa and began negotiations with local elders. But it was too late - the protesters had already burned down the offices of the ruling party and the telecommunication company, the Palace of Justice, and several police stations. Radical Islamists from underground groups joined the protests in Daraa. Protests also began in other cities, including Damascus.
The Syrian army soon besieged several cities, and in late March, Bashar al-Assad dismissed the government. Violence escalated, and on May 9, 2011, the European Union imposed sanctions against Syria, followed by the Persian Gulf monarchies. Bashar al-Assad began to be seen as a bloody dictator by the West and its neighbors. Six million refugees have left Syria, most of them fleeing the violence. According to the UN, from mid-March to the end of June 2011 alone, Syrian authorities detained 10,000 people. In November 2011, Human Rights Watch published a 63-page report titled "Crushing Dissent in Homs," based on testimonies of eyewitnesses from Homs, which stated that 587 civilians had been killed in Homs since the start of protests by the time the report was prepared. Human Rights Watch also claimed that Syria had at least 27 government torture centers and detention camps. The report "Syrian Gulag" was based on satellite photos and testimonies of former prisoners. In 2014, Human Rights Watch estimated that a minimum of 6,786 prisoners died in the "Saidnaya" prison. In 2017, Amnesty International called the prison a "slaughterhouse." According to the organization, from March 2011 to August 2024, at least 14,000 people were tortured and killed in Syrian prisons.
As for the situation after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, on December 8, 2024, opposition forces captured the "Saidnaya" prison, located north of Damascus, and released some of the prisoners. This prison was considered one of the most terrifying in the country, along with "Tadmur" in Homs. In "Saidnaya," according to reports in Western media, three underground floors were discovered, known as the "red block." The rebels have shown surveillance monitors capturing inmates in their cells. However, it is difficult to release these people because the doors are locked with electronic locks, and the guards who have the access codes have fled. Local residents are going to "Saidnaya" to find out the fate of their loved ones who disappeared in the prison system. Among those who have been freed is Ragada al-Tatari, a pilot who refused to bomb the city of Hama during the uprising against Hafez al-Assad. He spent 43 years in prison. Another freed prisoner, Tal al-Mallohi, was 19 years old at the time of her arrest. In 2009, she was arrested for her publication. The Guardian has published a video showing small children and women being liberated from the "Saidnaya" prison. The Turkish Anadolu Agency has released a video documenting the alleged victims of torture in prison whose bodies were taken to the "al-Mujtahid" hospital in Damascus. The shrouds list the prison codes, but there are no names. Journalists discovered 30-40 such bodies with signs of beatings at the "Harasta" military hospital in Damascus.
The rebels have obtained prison archives that should help determine the fate of both prisoners and presumed dead. Several thousand people have also been released from the central prison in Aleppo. The rebels also discovered a bunker beneath another palace belonging to Bashar al-Assad's younger brother, Maher al-Assad. He commanded the 4th Armored Division, which left the country. In a voiceover, it is reported that "a lot of gold" was found in the bunker, and there were weapons in empty suitcases on the floor. The rebels' exploration of Maher al-Assad's underground tunnels is reminiscent of a video game.
Telegram channels report that Talal al-Dakkak, who allegedly fed locals to his lions, is about to be executed in Hama. The former militia leader, Dakkak, became the most influential businessman in Hama during Bashar al-Assad's rule. Before the events of 2011, he was just a taxi driver.
It is also reported that the rebels in Latakia have dealt with Bashar al-Assad's cousin, Sulaiman Hilal Assad. He has been accused of murders and torture of those who disagreed with the regime, according to local media reports. Videos of a man hanged from a crane have been circulated on social media. There is no official confirmation that this is indeed a relative of the former president. But one thing is clear: events in Syria are entering a new phase.
