Syria’s Air Force Intelligence seized 40 prisoners from Hama Central Prison on Saturday morning, July 25, transferring them to an unknown location.
Sources from the prison told Enab Baladi that units stormed the two sectors housing prisoners convicted on terrorism charges, using tear gas and electric batons. The sources confirmed that among those arrested were four young men sentenced to terms ranging from death to 15 years in prison.
The escalation comes against the backdrop of a week-long strike carried out by the prisoners in June in response to the sentences issued against a number of detainees by the Terrorism Court in Damascus. The sentences ranged from 15 years in prison to the death penalty.
The prisoners ended their strike on June 23 after promises from the Reconciliation Committee in the province of Hama to reconsider their cases, after security forces intervened in the province and threatened to break up the strike with force.
The prison’s terrorism sector is detaining roughly 700 young men from Hama province, some of who were arrested following their participation in demonstrations against the Assad regime. Many others were apprehended during the arbitrary detention campaigns that took place in the province.
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
