A horrific discovery at a military hospital morgue in Damascus underscores Syria’s ongoing human rights abuses.
At a Glance
- Approximately 40 bodies found in a Damascus hospital morgue displayed signs of torture.
- Many of the deceased are believed to be linked to the notorious Saydnaya prison.
- Harasta Hospital served as a central point for collecting and transferring detainee bodies.
- The Syrian Red Crescent aided in body transportation to facilitate identification.
Damascus Morgue Discovery
Al Jazeera’s Omar Al-Hajj revealed a grim scene in the Harasta military hospital, where around 40 bodies were discovered. Each body showed signs of torture, including gouged-out eyes and missing teeth. This discovery adds to the evidence of widespread human rights violations in Syria under Bashar al-Assad’s regime. These bodies, identified with numbers or names, are suspected to be detainees from Saydnaya prison.
Mohammed al-Hajj, who informed military command about the discovery, stated, “I opened the door of the morgue with my own hands, it was a horrific sight: about 40 bodies were piled up showing signs of gruesome torture.” The Syrian Red Crescent played a crucial role in transferring these bodies to a Damascus hospital for family identification.
Previous Evidence and Global Concerns
The findings echo the Caesar photographs, taken by a Syrian “…defector, code-named “Caesar,” who stated that, as an official forensic photographer for the Military Police, he had personally photographed bodies of dead detainees and helped to archive thousands more…” showing over 6,786 detainees who died in Syrian custody, marked by starvation, beatings, and disease. Human Rights Watch verified these photographs, presenting them as evidence of crimes against humanity. The report “If the Dead Could Speak” urges international monitors to access Syrian detention centers and immediate releases of detainees.
“Just about every detainee in these photographs was someone’s beloved child, husband, father, or friend, and his friends and family spent months or years searching for him,” stated Human Rights Watch’s Nadim Houry. “We have meticulously verified dozens of stories, and we are confident the Caesar photographs present authentic – and damning – evidence of crimes against humanity in Syria.” – Nadim Houry
Amnesty International described Saydnaya prison as a “human slaughterhouse,” with mass executions reportedly sanctioned by Assad’s government. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimates at least 60,000 deaths in detention facilities under Assad’s regime, pressing the need for accountability and measures to prevent more loss of life.
Global Calls for Action
Human rights organizations demand immediate access to Syrian detention facilities and the halting of serious crimes. The report emphasizes that those accountable for these humanitarian offenses must be prosecuted. To aid in this endeavor, Russia and Iran are called upon to pressure Syria for transparency.
“We informed the military command of what we found and coordinated with the Syrian Red Crescent, which transported the bodies to a Damascus hospital, so that families can come and identify them,” shared Mohammed al-Hajj. – Mohammed al-Hajj
This latest discovery stresses the urgency for international intervention to ensure justice for victims, halt ongoing abuses, and facilitate a sustainable path toward peace in Syria.
