Revisiting the Narratives of Several Syrians on Their Experiences in Assad's Prisons

As developments related to Syria continue to dominate global news, Voice of America has reported on the situation of some Syrian refugees and the families of prisoners of the Assad regime, recounting their stories. One of these individuals is Anwar Etensh, a Syrian citizen who, after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, drove from his hometown of Daraa to Damascus despite heavy traffic. Following the collapse of Assad's regime by armed opponents, thousands of Syrians headed to Damascus to celebrate this historic event. However, Etensh went to the capital to find his 55-year-old cousin, who was arrested 13 years ago during popular protests against Bashar al-Assad in Daraa. This Syrian protester, like many other opponents of Bashar al-Assad, disappeared after his arrest, and there is no news about his status. Since Assad's flight to Russia and the fall of his regime by militants led by the group 'Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham', a former al-Qaeda branch, they have released thousands of prisoners. Etensh told Voice of America via video call from Damascus that he does not know if his cousin is alive and is visiting various prisons. His cousin is one of about 137,000 Syrians who, according to human rights groups, have disappeared in military prisons during the Syrian civil war. The Syrian Human Rights Network based in the UK states that since 2011, Syrian government interrogators have tortured more than 15,000 prisoners. Bashir Mansour is another Syrian who spoke with Voice of America through a messaging app and email. He is one of the lucky prisoners who survived prison and says that Assad's soldiers opened fire on him and his university friends in 2011 while they were trying to deliver medicine and food to the besieged residents of Daraa. Mansour said that two of his friends were killed by gunfire, and the soldiers arrested the rest of the group. He went on to describe the brutal beatings, torture, and psychological and physical abuses in prison that led to the deaths of several prisoners. According to Mansour, soldiers tortured him with an electric rod, whipped his head, pulled out his fingernails, and burned his body with cigarettes. He mentioned that he does not know what crime he committed to deserve such treatment and said that he wished for death in prison to escape this torment. Mansour stated that the most severe torture was carried out by staff at a military hospital in the outskirts of Damascus, and he was hospitalized there due to the severity of his injuries. Severely injured, Mansour was released after some time and currently lives in North Carolina, USA. He, who is forced to use a wheelchair, is studying computer programming and works at an airport. He told Voice of America that their family members are scattered in various countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, France, and Kuwait, and they have not seen each other for over 11 years. Mansour expressed happiness over the fall of Bashar al-Assad, saying that their family can finally return to Syria. However, given the current conditions in the country, the return of thousands of Syrian migrants to Syria may not be so simple. Nevertheless, the end of the Assad family's rule in Syria is considered a significant event for Syrians, and they are hopeful for the future, dancing and celebrating in various parts of the country.