Critical Humanitarian Efforts at Sednaya Prison
The Syrian Civil Defense is facing a dire humanitarian crisis as it attempts to rescue thousands of detainees from the notorious Sednaya prison, often referred to as a "human slaughterhouse." Al Jazeera's correspondent Montaser Abu Nabut reported that rescue teams are struggling to penetrate the ten underground floors of the prison, which holds a vast number of prisoners in inhumane conditions.
Conditions Inside Sednaya Prison
Described as a complex that extends deep underground, Sednaya prison has been the site of severe human rights violations since its establishment in 1987. Families of the detainees, like a mother searching for her son detained since 2012, gather outside the prison, hoping for news of their loved ones. Inside, detainees are crammed into small cells with 50 to 70 individuals, deprived of basic necessities such as air and light, and are given only a loaf of bread daily through a small opening in the door. Human rights organizations have documented over 10,000 photographs of detainees who died under torture, leading to calls for accountability and justice.
Calls for International Intervention
As the search and rescue operations continue, families are appealing to international organizations for assistance. They seek not only help in locating their loved ones but also in documenting the atrocities committed within the prison. Previous detainees have reported that release often comes at a steep price, with families forced to pay up to $40,000 to regime officers for information about their relatives. The situation at Sednaya prison highlights the urgent need for global awareness and action to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Syria.
