Overview

• Saidnaya prison, a symbol of the Assad regime's brutality, held over 30,000 detainees, with only 3,000 to 4,000 surviving by its liberation in December 2024.
• Survivors, including Ismaïl al-Ghantawi, have recounted severe torture, starvation, and inhumane conditions, leaving many with lasting trauma.
• The prison's liberation exposed mass disappearances, with thousands of bodies reportedly burned or buried in mass graves, leaving families searching for answers.
• The new government, led by President Ahmed al-Scharaa, is under pressure to address these atrocities while striving to stabilize a nation plagued by sectarian violence and unrest.
• Efforts to integrate Kurdish self-administration into the Syrian state have added complexity to the transitional period, as regional and international stakeholders monitor developments closely.