The Story of Saydnaya Prison: Built by Hafez al-Assad, A Fortress of Torture for Four Decades

On a wide wall, dozens of screens displayed footage from surveillance cameras inside prison cells. The recordings revealed cramped rooms filled with dozens of prisoners, devoid of sunlight or fresh air. Some prisoners lay on the floor, while others paced back and forth in a confined square that barely allowed a single step.

This grim scene was captured on a mobile phone by a member of the Syrian opposition on the morning of Sunday, December 8, 2024, documenting the state of the prisoners inside Saydnaya Prison, located near Damascus. This came after opposition forces stormed the notorious facility and liberated all its detainees.

Saydnaya Prison, founded in 1987 during the rule of Hafez al-Assad, is infamous for being one of the most brutal detention centers in Syria. It was part of the Assad regime’s strategy to tighten internal security and suppress dissent. Over the years, the prison became a symbol of terror, especially under the rule of Bashar al-Assad, during which it was heavily utilized as a tool of oppression during the Syrian conflict.

The Purpose of Saydnaya Prison

The prison was originally constructed to serve as a military facility for detaining political and military prisoners. Operating under the direct supervision of the Syrian Ministry of Defense, it was designed as a high-security institution. However, it quickly gained notoriety for the severe human rights violations documented within its walls.

Most detainees in Saydnaya were held in extreme secrecy, making it nearly impossible to determine the full scope of prisoners or the atrocities committed there. The facility was notorious for its enforced disappearances and systemic torture.

On December 8, 2024, with the fall of the Assad regime, the opposition published lists of prisoners freed from Saydnaya. Among them were individuals long presumed dead by their families, revealing the prison’s dark legacy.

Location and Structure

Saydnaya Prison is located in a mountainous region near Damascus, a deliberate choice by Hafez al-Assad to ensure it was both highly secure and difficult to penetrate. Managed by the Syrian Ministry of Defense, it became synonymous with political and military detentions.

The prison comprises multiple floors and wings, some dedicated to solitary confinement. Its heavily fortified structure includes guard towers and security checkpoints, making it one of the most impenetrable facilities in the region. Yet, in December 2024, opposition forces managed to breach its defenses and liberate the detainees.

For decades, the prison housed political dissidents, activists, and individuals accused of crimes against state security. Some had been held since the 1980s, while others were detained during the uprisings between 2011 and 2014.

A Tool of Oppression Under the Assad Regime

Under both Hafez and Bashar al-Assad, Saydnaya became a symbol of the regime’s repression. Political opponents, activists, and individuals accused of terrorism or dissent were detained there arbitrarily. Conditions in the prison were notoriously harsh, with systematic torture and abuse serving as routine practices.

Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have reported grave violations at Saydnaya. These include mass executions, torture, and starvation. The prison was described as a site of “mass extermination”, where detainees were subjected to inhumane treatment from the moment of their arrival.

On December 8, 2024, opposition forces stormed the prison and freed all detainees just hours before Bashar al-Assad fled the country. This liberation marked the end of an era of terror for those held within Saydnaya’s walls.

“The Human Slaughterhouse”

In a 2017 Amnesty International report, Saydnaya was labeled a “human slaughterhouse”, citing the execution of approximately 13,000 people between 2011 and 2015. The report highlighted:

• • Systematic torture.

• • Unfair trials.

• • Mass executions.

These practices earned the prison its grim reputation as a center for torture and death. Human rights organizations have repeatedly called for its closure and demanded international investigations into the crimes committed there.

Witness testimonies from former detainees and defectors painted a horrifying picture of conditions inside the prison. Detainees faced daily torture, starvation, and a complete lack of medical care. The facility was described as a place where survival was impossible, and death was the only escape.

Documented Atrocities

Reports from organizations such as the Syrian Network for Human Rights and Human Rights Watch have extensively documented Saydnaya’s role in:

• • Enforced disappearances.

• • Torture and abuse.

• • Mass executions.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights revealed numerous cases of detainees being denied food and medical care, leading to widespread deaths from malnutrition and disease. Many detainees were held indefinitely without trial, and confessions were often extracted under torture.

Human Rights Watch has referred to Saydnaya as a “torture center”, noting that arrests often took place without any legal basis. In most cases, detainees were convicted based on confessions made under extreme duress.

Global Attention and Calls for Accountability

Saydnaya’s notoriety has drawn attention from international media. The Guardian described the prison as a “center of state terror,” while The New Yorker referred to its conditions as evidence of a calculated system of oppression. Survivors and defectors have recounted harrowing tales of abuse, including executions, medical neglect, and the psychological toll of indefinite imprisonment.

Amid calls for justice, international organizations have demanded investigations into Saydnaya’s crimes. They argue that the prison represents the Assad regime’s systematic use of state-sanctioned torture and extrajudicial killings to silence dissent and maintain control.

The Liberation of Saydnaya: A Turning Point

The storming of Saydnaya Prison on December 8, 2024, by opposition forces marked a significant moment in Syrian history. The liberation of detainees brought long-awaited relief to families who had spent years searching for their loved ones. It also exposed the full extent of the Assad regime’s brutality.

As Syria begins to rebuild, many argue that Saydnaya should not be demolished but preserved as a memorial to honor the victims and ensure the world never forgets the atrocities committed within its walls.