Nightmares of Torture and Injustice: How Children Endured the Horrors of Syria’s Worst Prisons

On December 8, 2024, Syrian opposition forces stormed Saydnaya Prison near Damascus, liberating detainees—men, women, and even children. This shocking revelation brought the world’s attention to one of the most egregious crimes against humanity: children imprisoned with no fault other than being born into a brutal war that drenched their country in blood.

The children held in Saydnaya, many not yet teenagers, endured an environment devoid of innocence or childhood. Arrested either due to their ties with the opposition or even indirect affiliations, these children became victims of a regime that made no distinction between adults and children during Syria’s prolonged conflict.

This report uncovers how the innocence of childhood was stolen behind the walls of one of Syria’s most notorious prisons, Saydnaya, and sheds light on their harrowing experiences.

Children as Casualties of War

Survivors’ testimonies reveal that Saydnaya bore witness to daily horrors of physical and psychological torture. Detainees were crammed into dark, suffocating cells with no room to breathe or move freely.

For the children who survived this gruesome reality, their liberation felt like a breath of fresh air after years of suffocation. Yet, the scars they carry—both physical and emotional—will require years of healing. Families, once hopeless of seeing their loved ones again, now face the daunting task of helping them rebuild their lives.

According to a 2024 Human Rights Watch report, 70% of detained children in Syria were denied access to legal proceedings or fair trials. The release of children from Saydnaya is a critical step forward, but it underscores the systemic injustice they endured for years.

Other reports, as well as video evidence documented by Sunna Files Web, paint a grim picture of the children’s plight. Detained in extreme conditions, they lived in constant fear of violence, facing a relentless assault on their physical and mental well-being.

What We Know About Saydnaya Prison

Built in 1987 near the Saydnaya Monastery, the prison lies 30 kilometers north of Damascus. It is divided into two main sections:

1. 1. The “Red Building”, designated for political and civilian detainees.

1. 1. The “White Building”, used for military prisoners.

Each building consists of three floors, each with two wings, housing 20 collective cells per wing. Each cell, measuring 8 meters by 6 meters, is shared by dozens of prisoners, packed together far from windows, with a single ventilation point shared by four cells.

Saydnaya is one of Syria’s most fortified military prisons, notorious for torture, deprivation, and overcrowding. Dubbed the “human slaughterhouse,” it gained infamy for its brutal treatment of detainees. Events such as the 2008 massacre within its walls only cemented its reputation as a site of atrocities.

Since the Syrian revolution began in 2011, Saydnaya became a symbol of political repression and suffering, affecting even the youngest detainees who were denied the basic right to live a normal childhood.

Calls to Preserve Saydnaya as a Museum of Suffering

The Association of Saydnaya Detainees has called for the prison to remain standing, not to be demolished, but transformed into a museum. This would serve as a testament to the suffering endured within its walls and educate future generations about the atrocities committed by the fallen regime.

Liberation: What Lies Ahead for the Children?

For some children, their nightmare began as early as 2011, when they wrote phrases such as “The people want the fall of the regime” on their school walls. This act of defiance was met with imprisonment and torture, robbing them of their childhood.

Although the recent liberation of detainees from Saydnaya marks a significant step forward, the psychological and physical well-being of these children remains precarious. Many were born inside prison walls and have never experienced freedom, while others carry the trauma of torture and abuse.

Footage and photographs circulating on social media in the wake of the prison’s liberation reveal chilling details. Sharp tools, bloodstained ropes used for executions, and devices for beating prisoners’ feet with cables were discovered, underscoring the extent of the horrors faced by detainees.

The Search for Hidden Prisoners

Following the regime’s fall, questions about the fate of detainees have surged on social media. The Syrian Network for Human Rights estimates that 96,103 individuals remain detained, including 2,327 children and 5,739 women.

The Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets) tweeted that their specialized teams are searching Saydnaya for secret chambers or unexplored underground cells where additional detainees might still be trapped. Guided by those familiar with the prison’s layout, the team scoured every corner for hidden compartments.

By Tuesday morning, however, the White Helmets announced the conclusion of their search without discovering any unopened secret cells. In their statement, they confirmed:

“Our teams, accompanied by knowledgeable individuals, searched every section, basement, courtyard, and surrounding area of the prison. No evidence of undiscovered cells or hidden tunnels was found.”

https://twitter.com/i/status/1866119915960184846

The White Helmets expressed deep disappointment, stating:

“Thousands of detainees remain missing, and their families continue to live in agony, not knowing their fate.”

The search effort involved five specialized teams, including K9 units (trained police dogs) and support and medical teams. Despite combing ventilation shafts, sewage pipes, electrical wiring conduits, and surveillance cables, no additional detainees were uncovered.

Amid a flood of rumors and misinformation surrounding Saydnaya, the White Helmets issued a plea to Syrians:

“Exercise caution when sharing unverified information to protect the emotions of victims’ families and avoid causing additional harm.”

The Shadow of Human Rights Abuses in Syria

Saydnaya Prison serves as a grim reminder of the Assad regime’s reign of terror, marked by systematic human rights violations. For 25 years, under Bashar al-Assad’s rule, Syria endured rampant abuses that contradicted the values of freedom, democracy, and justice often touted by international organizations. The legacy of Saydnaya will forever stand as a symbol of the cruelty endured by political prisoners, including countless children whose lives were stolen behind its walls.