Human Rights Watch

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Torture Archipelago

Arbitrary Arrests, Torture and Enforced Disappearances in Syria's Underground Prisons since March 2011

Torture Archipelago

Arbitrary Arrests, Torture, and Enforced Disappearances in Syria's Underground Prisons since March 2011

Copyright ? 2012 Human Rights Watch All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 1-56432-906-2 Cover design by Rafael Jimenez

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JULY 2012

ISBN: 1-56432-906-2

Torture Archipelago

Arbitrary Arrests, Torture, and Enforced Disappearances in Syria's Underground Prisons since March 2011

Summary ........................................................................................................................... 1

Recommendations.............................................................................................................. 7 To the UN Security Council ........................................................................................................7 To All Countries ........................................................................................................................7 To the Arab League .................................................................................................................. 8 To Russia and China ................................................................................................................ 8 To the Syrian Government ........................................................................................................ 8

Methodology.................................................................................................................... 10

I. Arrest, Detention, and Torture in Syria.......................................................................... 12 Arbitrary Arrests and Unlawful Detention ........................................................................................ 12 Conditions in Detention............................................................................................................... 14 Systematic Use of Torture and Deaths in Custody.............................................................................. 17 Detention and Torture of Children, Women and Elderly....................................................................... 31

II. Syria's Detention Facilities ........................................................................................... 35

Department of Military Intelligence .................................................................................. 36 Branch 291 ? Damascus .........................................................................................................36 Branch 235 ("Palestine Branch") ? Damascus .........................................................................39 Branch 248 ? Damascus .........................................................................................................42 Branch 227 ? Damascus .........................................................................................................43 Branch 215 ? Damascus..........................................................................................................44 Branch 245 ? Daraa ................................................................................................................45 Aleppo Branch........................................................................................................................47 Branch 271 ? Idlib...................................................................................................................50 Homs Branch..........................................................................................................................52 Latakia Branch .......................................................................................................................54

Air Force Intelligence Directorate...................................................................................... 56 Mezzeh Airport Branch ? Damascus........................................................................................56 Bab Touma Branch ? Damascus..............................................................................................58 Daraa Branch..........................................................................................................................59 Homs branch ......................................................................................................................... 60 Latakia Branch ....................................................................................................................... 61

Political Security Directorate ............................................................................................ 63 Mezzeh area ? Damascus .......................................................................................................63 Idlib Branch........................................................................................................................... 64 Homs Branch......................................................................................................................... 66 Latakia Branch .......................................................................................................................67 Daraa Branch......................................................................................................................... 68

General Intelligence Directorate ....................................................................................... 69 Branch 285 ? Damascus ........................................................................................................ 69 Al-Khattib Branch ? Damascus................................................................................................70 Latakia Branch .......................................................................................................................72 Aleppo Branch........................................................................................................................72 Idlib Branch............................................................................................................................73 Homs Branch..........................................................................................................................74

Ad Hoc and Joint Detention Facilities ................................................................................ 76 Central Prison ? Idlib ..............................................................................................................76

Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... 78

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