Toddler’s release from Assad’s Sednaya prison exposes Syria’s dark legacy of torture and political oppression
EPICSTORIAN – In a heart-wrenching moment captured on video, a toddler walked out of Syria’s Sednaya prison on Sunday after the facility was seized and unlocked by rebel forces. Sednaya, dubbed the “human slaughterhouse,” had long symbolized the brutal reign of President Bashar al-Assad.
The video, which surfaced online, depicts rebels charging through the heavily fortified corridors, liberating inmates, including women and children, from their cells.
Toddler found in Syria’s Sednaya prison located North of Damascus
One released prisoner, speaking to Al Jazeera, revealed he had been scheduled for execution that very day. “I never thought I would see the light again,” he said, his voice trembling with disbelief and relief. The footage offered the first-ever glimpse inside Sednaya’s grim interiors, shattering years of secrecy around the infamous detention center.
Sednaya prison, located just north of Damascus, gained global notoriety for its horrific treatment of detainees since the Syrian civil war erupted in 2011. Rights organizations have consistently labeled it a “human slaughterhouse,” estimating that between 5,000 and 13,000 prisoners were executed there during the war’s early years.
A Guardian report further highlighted that over 100,000 individuals have been incarcerated across Syria’s prison system during the conflict.
Originally established in the 1980s under the rule of Hafez al-Assad—Bashar al-Assad’s father—Sednaya served as a central hub for silencing political opposition. It became synonymous with torture, starvation, and systematic executions.
BBC reports suggest the first detainees were imprisoned in 1987, marking the start of decades of abuse under the Assad family. Between 2011 and 2018 alone, over 30,000 prisoners perished within Sednaya’s walls, succumbing to torture, inadequate medical care, or starvation. Recent testimonies indicate that at least 500 more detainees were executed between 2018 and 2021.
The Syrian civil war, now in its thirteenth year, has devastated the nation. Triggered by a violent crackdown on anti-Assad protests in 2011, the conflict quickly escalated into a multifaceted war involving regional powers and international actors.
Assad’s regime, backed by Russia and Iran, has faced off against rebel factions, extremist groups, and Kurdish forces, resulting in over 500,000 deaths and displacing millions of Syrians. The nation remains deeply fractured, grappling with humanitarian crises, economic collapse, and ongoing political turmoil.
Also Read: Syrian Rebels Overthrow President al-Assad, Raising Hopes for New Government
The release of prisoners from Sednaya adds to the ongoing challenges Syria faces in achieving justice and accountability for war crimes. However , independent investigations into the alleged atrocities committed in Assad’s prisons is expected to commence. This will be updated when more details emerge.
