A Glimpse Into Hell: Syria’s Prisons, Hospitals, and the Fight for Accountability

From the Frontline Club to the Frontlines of Repression: Syria’s Bleak Legacy

Last Thursday, I spoke at the Frontline Club about post-Assad Syria and what that future might look like.

During the event, I described Saydnaya as the closest place I’ve encountered that could be called absolute evil. I want to expand on that here. For free subscribers, I’ve included a selection of articles for further reading.

I’m also sharing an ITV investigation that I worked on. The investigation looks into the activities of Tishreen Hospital, located on the northeastern outskirts of Damascus. The report offers a stark illustration of the scale and depth of human rights violations in Syria.

In Assad’s Prisons and the Need for Justice, my colleague Robin Yassin-Kassab argues that Assad’s Saydnaya prison epitomises the regime’s systematic torture, mass killings, and enforced disappearances. With over thousands detainees missing, justice requires documenting these atrocities through forensic evidence and survivor accounts. Lasting peace in Syria hinges on accountability for all perpetrators to prevent future revenge violence and ensure meaningful reconciliation. You can read the article here.

For paid subscribers, I am including my tour—if you can call it that—of my visit to Saydnaya prison. I’m also adding an explainer to accompany it, which is fully referenced. The piece that follows is based not only on the available literature but also on accounts from former inmates.