International Coordination Urged Following Release of New Syrian Prison Archive

A recent leak of a substantial archive documenting the deaths of detainees in Syrian prisons, containing over 70,000 photographs, has ignited a wave of controversy and social media commentary. These images, primarily captured by Syrian military police between 2015 and 2024, illustrate the continuation of arrests, torture, and large-scale killings, even after the previous international scandal known as the "Caesar files" in 2014.

In this context, Fares Al-Mazhan, known as "Caesar" for his earlier disclosures that led to U.S. sanctions against the former regime in 2019, commented on the recent developments. Al-Mazhan accused those behind the new leaks of being "loyal to the killing machine throughout the revolution" rather than defectors. He stated, "Some continued to commit 'criminal acts' until the regime's fall, only to later exploit the situation by taking thousands of documents, evidence, and photos with them."

Al-Mazhan asserted that these individuals did not bring forth the documents and photos to support the cause of detainees or justice, but rather to showcase them for political and media gain in exchange for asylum in a Western country, despite their past crimes and violence. He described the promotion of their leaks as "heroic acts" by former regime affiliates, including "doctors, officers, security agents, and military personnel," as "unacceptable."

Conversely, Al-Mazhan praised the efforts of "certain media institutions and humanitarian and human rights organizations of unquestionable integrity in uncovering the truth." He also called for close coordination with Syrian official authorities, stating, "The government must work closely with media institutions and international human rights organizations to ensure that no statements, information, or leaks regarding these files are published without close coordination and cooperation with the Ministry of Justice and the National Authority for the Missing." He explained that this request aims to "seek the truth first and preserve the feelings of the families of the missing," referencing what he termed a "painful and shameful phenomenon that has spread since the regime's fall."

It is noteworthy that the new archive, which exceeds the size of the "Caesar files," was transmitted via a CD to a team of journalists from northern Germany's NDR and then to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). The archive documented images of 10,212 individuals who died in custody or after being transferred from prisons to military hospitals.

Investigations revealed that the new photographs, similar to the previous ones, were leaked by a former colonel who led the evidence preservation unit in the military police in Damascus. According to NDR, the colonel shared the files through intermediaries under the condition of anonymity.

This latest leak demonstrates that the former regime itself documented these massive violations through security forces and police, showing no deterrence even after previous scandals and international sanctions, underscoring the depth of the human tragedy experienced by detainees during that period.