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June 26, 2025 – Damascus, Syria — On the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, Amnesty International has called on Syria’s new governing authorities to urgently provide medical, psychological, and legal assistance to survivors of torture under the former regime.
In a statement issued Thursday, Amnesty emphasized the long-lasting trauma endured by those who were arbitrarily detained, tortured, or forcibly disappeared in Syria’s military prisons—particularly during the presidency of Bashar al-Assad from 2000 to December 2024. The rights group stressed that survivors continue to suffer without adequate support for rehabilitation.
“The Syrian government is struggling with economic and political challenges, but it must, without delay, ensure that all those suspected of criminal responsibility for torture and other international crimes are brought to justice in fair trials before ordinary civilian courts,” said Bissan Faikh, campaigner at Amnesty International.
During Assad’s rule, particularly after the 2011 Arab Spring uprising, Syria saw a sharp rise in detentions and widespread reports of torture, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings. Human rights groups have long accused the Assad regime of operating a brutal and opaque detention system.
The former regime was ousted on December 8, 2024, by Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebels. A transitional government was installed on March 29, 2025, which has since issued a constitutional declaration banning torture and pledged not to use prison facilities for unlawful detentions.
In a positive step, the new administration has also launched a Transitional Justice Commission to support accountability and help victims rebuild their lives. The initiative has been welcomed by Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, as “integral for building a better future for all Syrians.”
However, Amnesty warned that recent reductions in foreign aid, including cuts from the United States, have strained healthcare and humanitarian services—further hampering the region’s recovery and access to justice for survivors.
The appeal comes as part of a global effort to mark the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, observed annually on June 26. The day highlights the right of survivors to rehabilitation and calls on governments to uphold international law prohibiting torture.
Amnesty International has urged Syria’s transitional government to match its legal commitments with concrete action, including ensuring accountability for past abuses and delivering sustained support to those who suffered under the previous regime.
