Footage shows inside Syria’s ‘human slaughterhouse’ prison as thousands freed

Videos appear to show women being released from what is said to be a Bashar Assad prison by rebel forces
Claims of hidden underground cells in Syria’s notorious Sednaya prison are being investigated after thousands of prisoners, including women and children, were freed.
Female prisoners reportedly screamed with relief as they were released from the prison – dubbed the “human slaughterhouse” – in Syria’s capital city of Damascus.
It comes after rebel forces led by Abu Mohammed al-Golani toppled President Bashar al-Assad’s regime over the weekend.
Syrian state television broadcasted a rebel statement on Sunday saying Assad had been overthrown and all prisoners had been released.
“Don’t be afraid … Bashar Assad has fallen! Why are you afraid?” one of the rebels said as he tried to rush streams of women out of Sednaya Military Prison.
Amnesty International said Assad’s forces “quietly and methodically” committed “crimes of humanity”, allegedly executing dozens of people weekly in Sednaya. It is estimated that up to 13,000 Syrians were killed between 2011 and 2016.
The organisation has also reported claims of rape at the facility.
Videos on social media showed dozens of prisoners, including children, running barefoot on the streets of Damascus after they were released.
Among those released was Bashar Bashoum, a 63-year-old writer who was due to be executed on Sunday.
“I haven’t seen the sun until today,” Barhoum told The Associated Press after walking through the streets.
“Instead of being dead tomorrow, thank God, he gave me a new lease of life.”
Unable to find his phone or belongings in the prison, Barhoum set off to find a way to let his wife and daughters know he is alive and safe.
Tens of thousands of detainees have so far been freed, Rami Abdurrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based pro-opposition war monitor, said.
However, those who escaped claimed that other prisoners were being held in hidden cells underneath Sednaya.
The White Helmets, also known as the Syrian Civil Defence, said their teams have begun “search and rescue” efforts to reach the lower levels of Sednaya.
“The White Helmets has deployed 5 specialized emergency teams to Sednaya Prison to investigate hidden underground cells, reportedly holding detainees according to survivors,” the group said on X.
“The teams consist of search and rescue units, wall-breaching specialists, iron door-opening crews, trained dog units, and medical responders. These teams are well-trained and equipped to manage such complex operations.”
Rebels have also freed prisoners from other Syrian cities, including Aleppo, Homs, and Hama.
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Torture, executions and starvation in Syria’s prisons
Syria’s prisons are infamous for claims of systematic torture, disease and starvation, by human rights groups, whistleblowers, and former detainees.
In 2013, a Syrian military defector, known as Caesar, smuggled out more than 53,000 photographs, which human rights groups say provide clear evidence of the horrific conditions in the country’s prisons.
Syria’s security forces and prisons were not only used to isolate Assad’s opponents but also to instil fear among his own people, Lina Khatib, an Associate Fellow at the London think tank Chatham House said.
“Anxiety about being thrown in one of Assad’s notorious prisons created wide mistrust among Syrians,” Khatib said.
“Assad nurtured this culture of fear to maintain control and crush political opposition.”
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