EXCLUSIVE: Syrian refugee reveals torture story at Syria’s “human slaughterhouse,” calls for justice

Shafaq News/ A Syrian refugee residing in the Domiz refugee camp in Duhok Province, Kurdistan Region, shared the tragic experiences of her family members and relatives at the infamous Sednaya prison in Damascus.

Randa Muhammad told Shafaq News, "My brother Yassin and three of my nephews—Amar, Amir, and Yassin—lost their lives in Sednaya prison due to torture by security officers,” adding, "Their fate was unknown, but after the regime fell and lists of the deceased were released, their names appeared."

When asked about the reason for their arrest, she explained, "They were arrested for participating in the peaceful protests that began in Syria at the start of the Arab Spring in 2011."

"My brother and three nephews participated in protests in Damascus… After their first involvement, they were arrested and forced to sign an agreement not to take part in any future protests," she added. “However, after their release, they returned to protest as the unrest intensified. They were arrested again, but this time they were not released; they were killed inside the regime’s prisons."

The Syrian refugee emphasized the importance of holding those responsible for these crimes accountable. "Their blood should not be in vain…Those who committed these massacres against the defenseless Syrians must face justice."

Human Slaughterhouse

Sednaya prison is one of Syria's most fortified military prisons. It is referred to as the "human slaughterhouse" due to the torture, deprivation, and overcrowding inside. It earned the nickname "Red Prison" following the bloody events of 2008.

International reports suggest that thousands of detainees were systematically killed in the prison, with the collapsed regime executing up to 50 people per week between 2011 and 2015, without trials.

On December 8, 2024, Syrian opposition forces stormed the prison and freed all detainees after entering Damascus, declaring the overthrow of al-Assad regime and the withdrawal of his forces from the Ministries of Defense and Interior, as well as Damascus International Airport.

On December 26, the Syrian Military Operations Command announced the arrest of Mohammed Kanjou Hassan, head of the field courts at Sednaya prison, in the village of Khirbet al-Ma'za in western Tartus, Syria.