The “Detainees Week” campaign commenced on January 11th and is set to unfold over an entire week, featuring a series of activities aimed at shedding light on the plight of detainees.
The campaign’s primary objective is to advocate for transparency regarding the fates of political detainees from Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria who have disappeared within the prisons of the Syrian regime.
Organized into 120 blocs, the campaign is divided among three key parties, as articulated by Moataz Shaqlab, the head of the al-Bayt al-Souri association, during a meeting held on the X platform. The leading organizers of the campaign include the Union of Syrian Coordination Around the World, The Association of Lebanese Detainees in Syrian Prisons, and Palestinians of Syria to Demand Palestinian Detainees.
Comprising the subsequent segment are Syrian civil and human rights organizations, such as the White Helmets, the Syrian Network for Human Rights, the Association of Interior Survivors, the Free Bar Association, the Association of Detainees and Missing Persons in Sednaya Prison, the Movement of Families for Freedom, and the participation of independent lawyers.
The final facet encompasses blocs and party cadres, featuring the Syrian Justice and Development Party, the Building Syria Democratic Party, the Syrian Democratic Homeland Party, and the Syrian House around the World.
Campaign Events
The campaign kicked off on the X platform, anchored by the hashtag “Detainees Week.” Numerous activists actively engaged in the initiative by sharing images and names of detainees whose whereabouts remain unknown.
As part of the campaign, participants disseminated leaked “Caesar” photos depicting victims held under torture, alongside narratives from survivors detailing their harrowing experiences during detention.
One noteworthy demonstration unfolded in al-Karama Square in the city of Suweida, echoing the powerful slogan, “The detainee is the size of a nation.”
Simultaneously, in northern Syria, events transpired in the cities of Afrin, Azaz, and Jarablus on the 14th and 15th of the month. These gatherings featured a compelling photo and graphic exhibition, a seminar featuring former detainees, and a play highlighting the issue of detention.
The events were graced by the presence of families directly affected, with relatives detained or disappeared within the prisons of the Syrian regime. These families passionately expressed their yearning to uncover the fate of their loved ones and advocated for their release.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
