German Foreign Minister Annalena Burbock, who arrived in Syria, visited the prison of former dictator Bashar al-Assad. People called this prison simply “the slaughterhouse.
This was reported by UNN with reference to BILD.
Annalena Burbock traveled to the notorious Seydna prison during her surprise visit to the Syrian capital. People called this prison simply “the slaughterhouse”. Since 2011, human rights activists have systematically documented executions, torture and disappearances of thousands of prisoners. Seidna was the most important of Assad's military prisons
Burbock and others inside these walls had to wear masks to protect them somewhat from the stench: prisoners were held in unsanitary conditions and overcrowded cells. Dr. Yaser Darkazanli, who examined the bodies after the prison was liberated, told BILD:
One of the methods (of execution - ed.) was to squeeze people to death. They would split heads with chainsaws and tear the skin off the bodies in pieces with electric tongs. The cruelty knew no bounds
Burbock was accompanied by representatives of the White Helmets, a civil defense organization supported by Germany since 2016. The volunteers helped victims of air strikes, war and earthquake victims.
“When I see today what people went through in this hell, in this hellish prison, it makes it clear how important your work was,” Burbock told the White Helmets after visiting the prison.
During his visit, the minister is expected to hold talks with the new rulers of Syria. One of the topics is the voluntary return of refugees from Germany.
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Le Figaro and SANA reported that the secret services, which were feared as an instrument of oppression under ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad, would be completely disbanded.
The UN investigation team visited Damascus for the first time since 2016 to investigate war crimes committed by the Assad regime. The new Syrian government has agreed to cooperate and help collect evidence.
The former head of Damascus Central Prison is accused in the United States of torturing prisoners in 2005-2008. 72-year-old Samir Usman Alsheikh arrived in the United States in 2020 and was arrested in Los Angeles.