Investigation: More than 70,000 leaked photos expose torture in Assad's prisons

A recently obtained collection of over 70,000 photographs reportedly documents severe human rights abuses in prisons controlled by Bashar al-Assad's regime, according to research conducted by German broadcaster NDR. The images, primarily captured between 2015 and 2024, appear to depict 10,212 deceased individuals, including men, women, children, and at least one infant.

Many of the victims show evident signs of torture, malnutrition, and neglect. The dataset was leaked by a former military employee who worked in the evidence preservation unit of the Damascus military police. Numerous photos seem to have been taken in the morgue of Harasta military hospital, located northeast of Damascus, identifiable by its distinctive staircase and unique tiles.

The former officer told NDR that this hospital was solely responsible for photographing bodies brought in by intelligence agencies. NDR shared the files with German broadcaster WDR, the newspaper Sddeutsche Zeitung, and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), with participation from other international media outlets. The dataset also contains thousands of confidential Syrian intelligence documents and has been submitted to Germany's public prosecutor general.

Potential investigations into Assad regime officials could take place in Germany under the principle of universal jurisdiction. Human rights groups estimate that tens of thousands died in Syrian prisons due to executions, torture, lack of medical care, or starvation during Assad's long rule. The new transitional government has pledged to bring those responsible to justice for these crimes.

Author: Logan Reeves