The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has raised concern over the continued secrecy surrounding the fate of thousands of detainees held in Syrian prisons without trial. According to the Observatory, over 10,000 individuals remain detained in facilities such as Hama, Adra, and Harem since a wide-scale security crackdown in December 2024, following the fall of the former regime.
Among the detainees are doctors, medical staff, former soldiers, and civilians, many of whom were arrested based on sectarian motives or security reports. The Observatory notes that detainees include individuals who had voluntarily surrendered or returned from assignments in Iraq.
Sources report that some prisoners, particularly in Harem prison, have been held for over five months without charges or access to legal procedures, despite no evidence linking them to crimes. Detainees are reportedly held in deteriorating conditions, and concerns are growing among families about their wellbeing.
The Observatory emphasized that the lack of due process and continued detention without trial constitutes a serious human rights violation. It called for the immediate release of those not proven guilty, transparent investigations under independent oversight, and prioritization of detainee cases as a national and humanitarian issue.
