The United Nations (UN) Investigation Commission published a report detailing the violations committed by the regime of Bashar Al-Assad in Syria between 2011 and 2020. The document, titled 'Network of Agony: Arbitrary Detentions, Torture and Ill-Treatment in the Syrian Arab Republic,' collected more than 2,000 testimonies, including 550 interviews with survivors of torture.
During this period, widespread abuses were recorded in Syrian detention centers, where practices such as arbitrary detentions, torture, enforced disappearances, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and violations of International Humanitarian Law were carried out. The report highlights that these violations were systematically conducted with the knowledge of the authorities.
Among the terrible actions described in the report are constant beatings, electroshocks, suspension by limbs, burns, and denial of medical attention to detainees. Techniques such as the 'dulab,' where victims were forced to get inside tires, and the 'German chair,' which aimed to cause extreme twisting of the body, are mentioned. Additionally, prisoners were forced to imitate animals, lick the floor, or strip in front of the guards.
In detention centers, prisoners lived in inhuman conditions, averaging 2.5 people per square meter, with a shortage of potable water and insufficient food. Children shared cells with adults, and many detainees died due to hunger, disease, or torture. Corpses remained alongside living prisoners for days.
