Former Sednaya Inmate Describes 21 Years of Torture and Survival

Report from Sednaya Prison

Fouad Naal, who spent almost 21 years behind bars in Syria’s notorious Sednaya prison near Damascus, guided NPR reporters through concrete cells and dark corridors still bearing the marks of abuse after the Assad regime fell in late 2024 and tens of thousands of political prisoners were freed. Naal recounts forced confessions, the release of his infant daughter to secure a confession, prolonged solitary confinement, regular hangings on a platform, and periods when guards dragged prisoners out for “showers” during which many were beaten or killed. He also describes a 2008 inmate uprising sparked by a guard’s desecration of the Quran, months of rationing, and the burial of fellow prisoners beneath concrete floors.

Now free, Naal leads an association of former inmates with about 7,000 signatories and is calling for job opportunities, medical follow-up and psychological care for survivors, as well as judicial accountability for those who carried out torture and executions to prevent renewed cycles of violence in Syria. NPR’s account highlights both the depth of abuse inside Sednaya and the challenges survivors face as the country confronts the legacy of decades of brutal repression, as reported by NPR