Deep Dive
What is the scale of the death toll in Assad's prison network during the first 10 years of Syria's civil war?
At least 100,000 people were executed or killed in Assad's prison network during the first 10 years of the civil war, with 30,000 of those deaths occurring in Sednaya prison alone.
Why were prisons like Sednaya crucial for the Assad regime?
Prisons like Sednaya were used to suppress opposition by detaining, torturing, and disappearing activists and rebels, creating a climate of fear that helped the regime maintain control.
What were the conditions like inside Sednaya prison?
Sednaya prison was described as dark, damp, and fetid, with visible signs of torture and death, including a machine used to compress bodies of deceased prisoners.
Who is Mazan al-Hamada and what happened to him?
Mazan al-Hamada was a Syrian activist who was brutally tortured in multiple prisons, including having his ribs broken and being hung by his wrists. He escaped to Europe in 2014 and became a prominent voice against the Assad regime. In 2020, he returned to Syria, where he was later found dead in Sednaya prison.
What was the atmosphere like at Mazan al-Hamada's funeral?
Hundreds of people attended Mazan al-Hamada's funeral, chanting for justice and the execution of Assad. The crowd displayed a mix of emotions, feeling both happiness for Syria's liberation and despair over the loss of Mazan.
What is the current status of Assad's prisons after the regime's fall?
It is too early to determine the future of the prisons, as families are still searching for missing loved ones and setting up camps outside prisons like Sednaya, hoping for any information about their relatives.
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