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(20/20) Post-Assad Syria—how should investigations proceed, and how can perpetrators (including Assad) be held accountable despite Russia’s support? A) Intl tribunal B) Hybrid court C) Domestic courts D) Reconciliation Share your view!

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(19/20) Yasser’s story reminds us of the lengths used to hide atrocities. Coercion, fear, and staged testimonies must not overshadow survivors who seek truth.

(18/20) Regardless, Douma and other battered towns like Eastern Ghouta, Khan Sheikhoun, and beyond yearn for closure. Exposing forced denials is key to revealing the regime’s war crimes.

(17/20) Now, the challenge is justice. Many push for an international tribunal, while others suggest hybrid courts. Russia’s involvement complicates accountability for chemical crimes.

(16/20) Locals had to label it “smoke and dust.” Russian-driven narratives dismissed victims. But evidence—photos, witness accounts, OPCW findings—points to repeated chemical warfare.

(15/20) The regime collapsed recently, and Syrians are finally free to speak. The Guardian reports survivors describing how chlorine sank into basements, suffocating families hiding below.

(14/20) Yasser now apologises: “I regret the lies I told under duress. May the victims’ families forgive me.” His story spotlights a system of intimidation enforced by Damascus & Moscow.

(13/20) OPCW verified at least 17 chemical attacks in Syria. Despite treaties, Russia’s disinformation and UN vetoes often derailed accountability, letting the regime obscure truth.

(12/20) Chemical weapons weren’t used just in Douma. Eastern Ghouta (2013) saw sarin kill up to 1,400. Khan Sheikhoun (2017) also faced suspected sarin. Repeated attacks defied Syria’s membership in the CWC.

(11/20) 79-year-old Tawfiq lost his wife & 4 children. He was told: “We’ll cut off your tongue if you speak.” He never found their remains. This fear kept Douma quiet for years.

(10/20) According to The Guardian (Dec 2024), 43 people died in Douma’s chlorine attack. Civilians in basements were exposed to lethal gas. Bodies turned “blue and black.” Survivors were threatened into silence.

(9/20) Coercion of witnesses is common. Anadolu Agency (Dec 2024) cited another Douma resident who lost family in the 2018 attack but was forced to say it was “regular shelling.”

(8/20) Back in Damascus, they were returned to Branch 251. Summoned repeatedly, Yasser felt shame facing Douma’s people, fearing another forced interview each April.

(7/20) Yasser recalls wanting to seek asylum in The Hague: “We saw a French building and thought of jumping the fence to tell the truth, but we feared for our families.”

(6/20) UN records (7 Feb 2023) show Syria & Russia brought 17 Douma ‘witnesses’ to the OPCW in April 2018, claiming they refuted attack claims. Yet OPCW found chlorine-laden cylinders likely dropped from a Syrian helicopter.

(5/20) Suddenly, he was flown to Moscow, then to The Hague (OPCW HQ). There, he repeated the false narrative, with no Western delegates present, to refute allegations of a chemical attack.

(4/20) He alleges Russians oversaw everything: “They dictated statements and rehearsals, ensuring we repeated the official story to absolve the regime of blame.”

(3/20) After the regime retook Douma, Yasser and his family were detained in Branch 251. Officials dictated what he must say on camera, re-filming until his words matched their script.

(2/20) He stayed in Douma amid intense bombing & siege. On 7 April 2018, chemical weapons struck near Martyrs’ Square. Yasser was in constant surgeries when lethal gas flooded the emergency rooms, claiming many lives.

(1/20) Dr. Yasser Abdulmajid from Douma says Syrian & Russian officials forced him to deny a 2018 chemical attack. This thread reveals how fear and coercion shaped his false testimony—and how he’s now speaking out.

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(10/10) The “Idlib model” doesn’t suit a modern state, says the magazine. While conservative Sunnis cheer Assad’s downfall, real tests of tolerance loom. Will al-Sharaa’s pragmatism triumph, or will hard-liners tighten their grip? Uncertain—but hope for coexistence endures.

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• The Economist cites Marwan Tayyar, an art-house director, who recalls the 14th-century Mongol conqueror Tamerlane eventually calmed in Damascus: “You can conquer Damascus, but you can’t defeat its spirit.” ✨

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(9/10) Despite tensions, Damascus keeps some openness: • Bars remain open, though casinos were attacked. • An art show (including nudes) may reopen at the National Museum.

(8/10) Diplomatically, The Economist says al-Sharaa seeks global recognition for funds & sanction relief. • Turkish-backed militias & UAE-backed groups vie for sway in “New Syria.” • Al-Sharaa must juggle sponsors while checking jihadists pushing strict Sharia 🤔.

(7/10) On women’s rights, there’s a clash: • Notices insist on veiling; some offices have separate entrances. • Al-Sharaa named a female central bank chief to show “modern” governance 🌐. Will this balance survive the hard-liners’ pressure?

(6/10) Minorities, esp. Alawites, face a grim reality: • Returning Sunnis reclaim Homs homes by force. • Preachers in nearby villages, armed, demand “kuffar” convert. • Alawite areas fear retaliation as “old regime remnants.”

(5/10) Another force: Ahmed al-Awdeh’s southern Sunnis (15k troops), who reached Damascus first on 8 Dec. • The UAE partly funds him to offset Turkish-backed jihadists. • Rivalries over territory & funding stir tension with al-Sharaa’s bloc 🤝.

(4/10) Security: al-Sharaa refused to reinstate Assad’s police, relying on: • 13k–35k HTS fighters • Up to 50k Turkey-linked Sunni militiamen • 400–2,500 foreign fighters All prefer smuggling profits over uncertain pay 💰, making control tough.

(3/10) The Economist contrasts Idlib’s strict past with “New Syria” in Damascus: • Xmas, lights, mixed dancing now permitted. • In Idlib, such acts meant execution or expulsion. Jihadists steeped in harsh “morality codes” ⚖️ find this shift baffling.

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(2/10) The new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa (Abu Muhammad al-Jolani), aims for a more tolerant stance: • He halted seizing an Ottoman palace by NYE, despite a local jihadist calling female artists “sinful.” • Allowed Xmas decorations, church crosses & mixed dancing—angering Salafists.

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🧵1 A dramatic shift has gripped Syria after the fall of the Assad regime on 8 December, leaving many violent jihadists feeling frustrated and 🔴 unsettled. A fresh report by The Economist (14 January 2025) sheds light on the political, security and religious contradictions shaping this “New Syria.”

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10) Call to Action SNHR recorded over 15,000 deaths under torture since 2011—only the numbers they were able to document officially. The real scale is much larger. What’s Next? 1) Specialized international tribunal? 2) National courts’ jurisdiction? 3) More info needed?

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9) International Framework ICPPED (2006) ©UN: Prohibits enforced disappearance. CAT (1984) ©UN: Prohibits torture under any circumstances. UNSC Res 2474 (2019) ©UN: Urges accountability, labeling systematic disappearance as a crime against humanity. These frameworks must guide future legal action.

8) 2024 Data & Ongoing Violations Post-2023 ICJ ruling condemning torture, SNHR 2024 stats still show forced disappearances & systemic abuse persisted until Assad’s downfall. Official civil records often concealed torture deaths, hinting many cases remain undocumented. Source: ©SNHR, ©ICJ

7) Key Figures 15,383 Syrians died under torture since 2011 (including 199 children & 115 women). 157,287 remain detained or disappeared; 86% by the regime. 72 methods documented, peaking 2012–2014. Caesar photos exposed 6,786 victims, 1,017 identified. #Syria #HumanRights Source: ©SNHR

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6) 1 Forced Labor: Construction, carrying heavy loads, personal servitude. Torture in Military Hospitals: Deliberate harm during “treatment.” Segregation: Solitary confinement for months or years. #Syria #HumanRights Source: ©SNHR

6) Beyond Physical Torture Medical Neglect: Denial of treatment, overcrowded cells, unsanitary conditions. Sexual Violence: Rape, forced nudity, threats—targeting all genders, often in front of others. Psychological Torture: Mock executions, threats to family, forced confessions.

5)Physical Torture Breakdown SNHR organizes physical torture into 9 categories, including: Water-based torture Electricity Fire & oil Hanging/shabeh Immobilization Fixation & beating Crushing/cutting/stabbing Flogging Throwing & dragging Each sub-technique is designed to maximize pain. Source: ©SNHR

4) Aleppo’s State Security Branch Leaked images from Aleppo confirm brutal methods (whipping, tire torture, shabeh). SNHR cites these align with 72 distinct torture strategies—whips, rods, cigarettes, fire, electric shocks—all systematically applied to detainees. Source: ©SNHR

3) Notorious Devices Methods like the ‘Magic Carpet’ (foldable wooden slabs), ‘Doulab’ (the wheel), and ‘Shabeh’ (ghost position) were documented since 2019. These techniques stretch or suspend detainees in positions causing excruciating pain and potential permanent injuries. ©SNHR

In Dec 2024, the Financial Times ©FT published “Investigators race to secure evidence of atrocities by Syria’s Assad regime” (Dec 29, 2024). Leaked videos & survivor accounts from Branch 251 in Damascus and other sites reveal industrial tools repurposed for torture—amplifying the horror once hidden.

Maher Akraa @maherakraa.com · 02/01/2025

1) Overview Years before Assad’s regime fell, human rights groups (e.g., Amnesty International, Syrian Network for Human Rights exposed 72 torture methods across 50+ detention centers. After the regime’s collapse in Dec 2024, new images & testimonies confirm a systematic pattern of brutality.

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🎥 In an interview with Al Jazeera English, Syria's Interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani addressed the future of peace talks with Israel. What are your thoughts on this statement? Could this mark a new chapter in the region's history?

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Reposted by Maher Akraa

1/ 🟥 Red Cell, Black Cell: A chilling video from the infamous "Branch 251" (Al-Khatib Branch) of Syrian intelligence shows abandoned solitary confinement cells in red and black. These cells, once filled with detainees, are known for their cramped size, poor lighting, and horrific use of torture.

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Statements from Shadi Al-Waisi, Syrian Interim Government Minister of Justice: What is the concept of implementing God’s law (Sharia)? 90% of Syrians are Muslims, and parliament will reflect their aspirations. Sharia will play a key role in the next phase. What do you think?

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10/ 🌍 Justice Beyond the Regime: As more mass graves are uncovered across Syria, how can we ensure accountability and healing for families of the disappeared? What steps can be taken to ensure that no detainee is forgotten? Let’s discuss. 💬 #HumanRights #Syria #TransitionalJustice

How can transitional justice and reconciliation address the scars left by decades of forced disappearances and mass graves?

9/ ❓ A Question for Reflection: The Assad regime fell last month, and human rights organizations confirmed that prisons have been emptied. Yet, families across Syria continue to search for their missing loved ones, hanging photos in streets, clinging to hope.