Enab Baladi – Hassan Ibrahim
There has been no change in the situation of detainees in the prisons of Idlib city in northwestern Syria, despite the ongoing political and military shifts in Syria, with continued demands for their release. The detainees were arrested by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) before the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8, 2024.
Promises, plans, and statements from the Ministry of Interior to improve prison conditions have not addressed the situation of detainees in Idlib, with renewed calls for their release, especially political prisoners, particularly after the end of the Assad era and the closure of prisons previously operated as torture facilities.
On June 5 of this year, preacher and legal scholar Abdul Razzaq al-Mahdi reiterated his call for the prisons to be cleared by Eid al-Adha, considering that releasing detainees is “an obligation except for those imprisoned by the Quran.” He stated that he had made many appeals and requests but received no response.
“Prison administration”
Sixteen days after taking office, Interior Minister Anas Khattab mentioned that the issue of prisons is associated with painful memories for Syrians. He added that several sessions were held with specialists in this administration due to its importance, aiming to identify obstacles to work and work to overcome them.
He noted that the ministry is working to ensure that prisons serve as a starting point for rehabilitating detainees so they can become integrated, productive, and active members of society. Agreements were made with the construction administration to temporarily rehabilitate current prisons while preparing new detention centers that contribute to achieving justice and ensuring respect for the rights of detainees.
The spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, Nour al-Din al-Baba, stated on May 24 of last month that the ministry has established a special administration for prisons and reform facilities, aimed at upholding human rights principles and rehabilitating inmates to return as productive individuals. He emphasized that prisons should serve to enforce the law and correct behavior while preserving the dignity of the prisoner and guaranteeing their rights and humanity.
He mentioned that the ministry faces many challenges regarding prisons, as the previous regime’s prisons lack the most basic elements of humanity and dignity, serving as evidence of its crimes against tens of thousands of Syrians who are missing, abducted, or forcibly disappeared. Rebuilding modern prisons that meet humane specifications requires resources and time.
The situation of detainees
There are no statistics or estimates of the number of detainees in Idlib prisons, but the most notable detainees in recent years have been those who opposed the policies of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, including activists, scholars, or members of the Al-Tahrir Political Party, which is an Islamic political party that does not recognize national borders and calls for the return of the Islamic caliphate. This ideology does not align with the ideas and approach of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.
Among the detainees whom preacher Abdul Razzaq al-Mahdi called for their release are scholars including “Abu Yahya al-Jaza’iri” and “Abu Shu’aib al-Masri,” as well as other political prisoners from Idlib prisons.
According to a statement from the al-Tahrir party to Enab Baladi, the conditions of its detained members have not changed, except that they have been transferred from one prison to another, moving from Qah prison to Harem prison, comprising 38 youths, after two of them were released months ago.
It was mentioned that visits to detainees are allowed, and their families can visit them, but the conditions are not ideal. “Visits occur behind thick mesh, are brief, and many restrictions are imposed on visitors, including prohibiting them from bringing clothes or personal items for the detainees, with very few materials allowed for entry.”
It was highlighted that legal proceedings regarding the detainees’ cases are not available in any form, and appointing a lawyer for defense and case tracking “is not an option.”
According to the party’s clarification, the important aspect concerning detainees is that they are imprisoned because their demands were “just demands” for “opening fronts,” as the events occurring in Syria are similar to their demands.
Regarding the receipt of any responses or clarifications concerning the detainees, the party indicated that they had not received any from anyone, considering that its members are “detained arbitrarily and informally, mirroring past arrests experienced under Assad’s regime.”
The party stated that “improving prison conditions can be assessed based on those imprisoned justly, and we look into the circumstances of their detention, while researching the conditions of those who are unjustly and illegally detained only discusses the topic of enhancing the violations against people and the customary laws being practiced, if it can be accurately called that.”
Enab Baladi contacted the spokesman for the Ministry of Interior to obtain comments on the repeated calls for the release of detainees in Idlib and the conditions and reasons for their arrests, but no response was received by the time this report was published.
The incident involving the killing of Abdul Qadir al-Hakim, known as “Abu Obaida Tal Hadiya,” in Hayat Tahrir al-Sham prisons sparked a peaceful movement in Idlib city, where protesters demanded the ousting of the group’s leader “Abu Mohammad al-Jolani” and the release of all detainees.
The young man belonged to the al-Ahrar Army faction, and he was killed due to torture associated with allegations of “treason,” having been detained for about ten months. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham buried him five months ago without notifying his family.
After the movement, the leader of the HTS and some of its personalities pledged to visit the prisons and issue a general amnesty for detainees. On March 5, 2024, a decree was issued declaring a general amnesty for those convicted of crimes on the occasion of Ramadan, with a project for granting an overall amnesty being approved following the receipt of a “certificate of good conduct,” according to certain conditions and exceptions.
Demands for release of detainees in Idlib prisons Enab Baladi.
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