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Special report: As Syria's prison doors open, a look 'inside Assad’s terror machine'

On the ground
Middle East

Less that a week after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, the world is seeing the first images of Syria’s gruesome prison system. FRANCE 24's James André, Julie Dunglehoeff and Sofia Amara met with some of the victims and their families.

People look through documents at the Saydnaya prison in Damascus on December 11, 2024. After Assad's overthrow, thousands flocked to Saydnaya prison hoping to find loved ones who disappeared in govern
People look through documents at the Saydnaya prison in Damascus on December 11, 2024. After Assad's overthrow, thousands flocked to Saydnaya prison hoping to find loved ones who disappeared in government jails. © Sameer al-Doumy, AFP

Since the gates of Assad’s prisons have burst open, hospitals have been flooded with ex-captives and families desperately searching for their missing loved ones. 

FRANCE 24 reports from inside Sadnaya – the notorious prison nicknamed "the human slaughterhouse" – where anyone suspected of flouting the ruling Baath party line was jailed. 

Many of the former inmates appeared completely lost and distraught. One woman repeated the same sentence over and over while another former male prisoner has not spoken since his release. 

Click on the player above to watch the report in full. 

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