After the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s rule, there were strong hopes that Syria’s prison system would be reformed. The new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, promised at the end of last year to close the notorious prisons of the former regime. However, one year later, it has emerged that many prisons and detention centers from the Assad era have resumed operations.
According to international sources, hundreds of people are currently being held in these facilities without formal charges. Those detained include former soldiers, members of various religious communities, and individuals arrested on vague security-related suspicions. In some areas, detentions have reportedly become widespread.
Former detainees and their families complain about harsh conditions in the prisons. They describe overcrowding, lack of food and medical care, as well as beatings and extortion. There are also reports that some families were asked to pay money in exchange for the release of their relatives.
The Syrian government says the detentions are linked to maintaining national security and investigating crimes committed during Assad’s rule. At the same time, human rights organizations are urging the new leadership to uphold the rule of law and put an end to illegal detentions and violence. Experts say this issue remains a key test for restoring stability and trust in Syria.
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