International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

Press Release

Syrian Coalition

June 26, 2014

Today, as the world marks the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, thousands of detainees in Assad’s prisons live in squalid conditions where they are denied food, water, space, sleep, hygiene and medical care. Detainees, including women and children, are beaten up, suspended by the wrists for days, burned with cigarettes and subjected to electric shocks.

In the Assad regime’s detention centers, detainees are not only subjected to physical pain but also to mental and psychological torture. Having to face all kinds of degrading insults and humiliation, all dignity is stripped from men, women, and children whose only crime was to call for freedom.

Last January, leaked images, which were verified by renowned international experts, showed that the Assad regime had been carrying out torture and summary executions on an industrial scale against innocent civilians since the uprising began in 2011.

Today is a reminder that Syrians of all walks of life should not be left alone. A strong message must be sent to Assad that there will be a time for accountability and that those responsible for crimes against humanity will be brought to justice.