56 people killed under torture in Transitional Government prisons in 8 months

At least 56 people were killed between January and mid-August 2025, all of them under torture, summary executions, or neglect in detention centers run by the Transitional Government in Syria, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The report revealed a systematic policy of arbitrary arrest, enforced disappearance, and brutal torture, extending to several areas, most notably Homs and its countryside, Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor, Damascus, the Latakia countryside, and Daraa.

The victims included civilians from various sects, including civil servants, former officers, lawyers, photographers, and even young men returning from Europe to visit their families.

Among the most notable cases was the death of Louay Tayara just 24 hours after his arrest in Homs (February 1), the delivery of mutilated bodies bearing signs of torture, and the secret burial of victims in cemeteries such as Tal al-Nasr and al-Waer Hospital.

The report also documented the field executions of three detainees from the al-Zahraa neighborhood in Homs on February 8, in addition to direct individual liquidations.

The violations were distributed over the months, with 8 deaths recorded in January, 13 in February, 4 in March, 7 in April, 2 in May, 3 in June, 9 in July, and 10 in the first half of August.

The Observatory stated that these crimes were committed by several security agencies affiliated with the Transitional Government in Syria, including the Military Operations Directorate, General Security, and police branches and security services in Homs, Damascus, and Deir ez-Zor. It emphasized that torture was used as a systematic tool of killing, not just to extract confessions.

The Observatory concluded its statement by emphasizing that behind every number is a name, and behind every name is a family waiting. It held the Transitional Government in Syria fully responsible for these violations, demanded accountability for those involved, and halted the policy of arbitrary arrest, torture leading to death, and enforced disappearance.

Sh-S

ANHA