Detainees in Assad's Notorious Prisons Need Immediate Protection

Media Statement

Syrian Coalition

Istanbul, Turkey

Augusts 28, 2013

The Syrian Coalition urges the international community and Human Rights Organizations to help free political detainees in Syria’s prisons as they face the most horrible and inhumane practices. Measures must be taken immediately to ensure the safety of the detainees.

Assad's fascist regime is amassing detained activists and civilians in prisons inside military locations that may be potential targets for foreign military forces. Using civilians as human shields is a blatant breach of International Humanitarian Law, and those responsible must be held accountable for crimes against humanity.

Assad has deployed a policy of arbitrary detention since the start of the revolution in March 2011 infringing on Syrian law, International Covenants on Human Rights, and International Conventions related to the prohibition of enforced disappearance. The right to protection for detainees is enshrined in the Fourth Geneva Convention (Article III), in the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (Article XVII) according to the UN General Assembly's resolution of 20 December 2006 (177/61), as well as Additional Protocol II (Article V, Clause (b)).

In Assad’s torturous prisons, thousands of detainees experience deplorable conditions. They are forced to live a life of pain, fear, and intimidation by Assad’s intelligence forces. The locations where prisoners are held, nearly in all cases, are not disclosed. Prisoners are often summarily executed, placed in sites where Assad forces carry out explosions and bombardments or are tortured to death.

The Syrian Coalition holds Assad and his accomplices accountable for crimes against activists and civilians detained in security centers, government institutions, and military installations.

The Syrian Coalition further pledges to pursue, capture, and punish those responsible for crimes against the Syrian people wherever they might be to allow justice to take its course.

We ask for Mercy for our martyrs, health for our wounded, and freedom for our detainees.

Long live Syria and its people, free and with honor.