A revolt erupted early Thursday in Suweida central prison in southern Syria as prisoners protested an execution sentence against their fellow inmates, a source said.
The riot began after regime forces stormed the prison to apprehend four inmates, three of which were earlier sentenced to death. Clashes followed between prisoners and the regime forces.
A well-informed source reported to Zaman al-Wasl that the prison, which lies to the south of Damascus, hosts about 1,100 prisoners, 750 of which are accused of supporting terrorism for opposing the Syrian regime.
One of the prisoners said inmates took complete control of the complex after forcing regime officers and prison guards from the building.
General Hassan Khalaf, the prison’s director, has requested inmates remain calm as a condition for fulfilling their demands. Meanwhile, Syrian government troops have surrounded the prison.
The source mentioned that negotiations were postponed from 2:00 am till 5:00 am, in line with a request by the prison’s manager.
Last year, Zaman al-Wasl obtained information from an ex-prisoner of Suweida who revealed stories of the atrocities which occurred inside the prison.
The former prisoner, a university student from the Damascus countryside, was arrested by regime forces after participating in a demonstration. He mentioned that corruption, theft, drug dealing, the killing of prisoners and other crimes were widely practiced inside the prison.
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
