Exclusive documents obtained by Zaman al-Wasl reveal shocking details of executions carried out inside Sednaya Military Prison, north of Damascus, in 2016.
The documents, signed by senior judicial and military officials, not only reveal the identities of the victims, but also reveal the meticulous bureaucratic procedures through which the former regime sought to confer a false legitimacy on systematic killings.
"Terrorism" is a ready-made slur to eliminate opponents
The heart of the tragedy lies in the charges against the victims. Both Mohamad Zaher Jarada and Mohamad Dhiyab al-Tahhan (executed in 2016 on the same day and time) were sentenced to death under anti-terrorism laws for "committing terrorist acts that resulted in the death of a human being."
Human rights experts confirm that these charges are nothing more than ready-made slurs used as a tool for revenge and the elimination of political opponents and dissidents. Instead of being an application of the law, these sentences are transformed into political executions outside the framework of a fair judiciary, following trials described in an Amnesty International report as a "farce."
Shocking Details from the "Saydnaya Slaughterhouse"
Documents reveal the routine and systematic mechanism by which these sentences are carried out:
Timing of Death: The sentences were carried out at 4:00 a.m., the preferred time for "Saydnaya executions," which take place in complete secrecy.
Supervisory Committee: Committees were formed to oversee the executions, including the Public Prosecutor, a member of the court, a court clerk, a police company commander, a forensic doctor (often a dentist or plastic surgeon!), and even a cleric. This heavy presence represents an attempt to give the killings a deceptive, official, and religious character.
The "Will" as a Measure of Torture
Documents indicate that the convict was asked if he wanted to say anything before the execution, and this was recorded. This seemingly "humane" procedure occurs in the context of torture and arbitrary detention, making it an additional form of torture against the victim.
This is particularly true in what the "I Am the Detainee" campaign has documented, as most of the wills are blank except for the executioners' signatures.
A Call for Accountability
These documents confirm what international human rights organizations have documented regarding the Syrian regime's use of terrorism laws to suppress dissent and issue unjust sentences.
Saydnaya, described as a "human slaughterhouse," has witnessed thousands of deaths under torture or secret execution.
The two cases documented here represent only a drop in the ocean of violations. This evidence calls for urgent action to pressure authorities to uncover the fate of thousands of forcibly disappeared persons and bring those responsible for these crimes against humanity to justice.
Zaman al-Wasl continues to follow this thorny issue and emphasizes that revealing these documents is a necessary step toward shedding light on the darkness looming over the regime's prisons.
Hussein al-Shishakli - Zaman al-Wasl
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