A Palestinian man who spent 17 years in Syrian prisons beneath the Baath regime says he feels “reborn” after his launch.
Ibrahim Farahat, 75, was freed after the collapse of the regime in December. Once held in infamous detention facilities like Sednaya Prison, Farahat reunited along with his household in Yamun, close to Jenin within the occupied West Bank. His launch was met with celebrations by family members and native residents.
Speaking to Anadolu, Farahat recalled his ordeal, the cruel circumstances of imprisonment, and his sudden freedom.
“When I was released, I could only think about how to return to my family,” he mentioned. “I felt reborn. In fact, I never expected to leave prison alive.”
During his 17 years in jail, Farahat mentioned he noticed his household solely as soon as.
“After two years, they allowed me to tell my family where I was. They visited me once, but I told them not to come again. I was afraid what happened to me might happen to them,” he mentioned.
– ‘I wish to neglect these days’
Farahat recounted his arrest and conviction, describing a scarcity of due course of.
“They accused me of crimes I didn’t commit. I told them I was innocent, but I was taken to military courts without a lawyer. I didn’t think I would be imprisoned since I had done nothing wrong,” he mentioned.
Farahat mentioned he was first held in a facility referred to as the “Palestine Branch” in Damascus, the place he spent 9 months. For 72 days, he was interrogated beneath extreme circumstances.
“I can’t describe the interrogation process. I want to forget those days,” he mentioned.
“They stripped me of my clothes, beat me with cables, and forced me to confess to something I didn’t do. Later, they took me to the prison basement, where I was hung by iron shackles and subjected to electric shocks. I was left suspended until the next day.”
Farahat mentioned he was later pressured to face on a 30-square-centimeter platform for days. “Even the slightest movement was forbidden,” he mentioned.
– Prisoners recognized by numbers
Farahat defined that prisoners have been recognized by numbers fairly than names. His was “31,” which was his cell quantity.
“For days, I didn’t eat. Eventually, they gave me one egg. That egg saved my life,” he mentioned.
He detailed the torture strategies, saying, “During interrogation sessions, we were subjected to beatings and electric shocks.”
Farahat additionally shared a harrowing reminiscence.
“One day, water began flooding the cells. It rose to our chests, and we started screaming for help. Eventually, they moved us to an upper floor. Three days later, we were sent back to our moldy, damp cells, where we suffered from lice and scabies.”
He mentioned he was pressured to signal paperwork with out rationalization, and 6 days later, he was transferred to Sednaya Prison, the place he remained for six months.
“I was sentenced to over 22 years without any justification or chance to defend myself. I ended up spending 17 years in prison for no reason,” he mentioned.
– ‘It felt like Judgment Day’
Farahat mentioned news of the regime’s collapse reached the jail, they raised hopes of freedom.
“When the doors opened, it felt like Judgment Day. People were … running to get out. I ran 35 kilometers (22 miles). I don’t even know how I did it,” he mentioned.
He ultimately reached the Jordanian border with the assistance of Syrians, who sheltered and guided him and reunited him along with his household afterward.
Bashar Assad, Syria’s regime chief for practically 25 years, fled to Russia after Syrian insurgent teams captured the capital, Damascus, on Dec. 8, ending the rule of the Baath Party, which had been in energy since 1963.
The change got here after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham fighters swiftly seized key cities in an offensive that lasted lower than two weeks.
Source: www.anews.com.tr