Senior Sednaya Prison Officer Arrested in Syria Following Years of Abuse Allegations
[Damascus] Syrian authorities have arrested Col. Thaer Hussein, a senior officer at the notorious Sednaya Military Prison, in what the Ministry of Interior described as a “highly precise and strategic” operation last Tuesday in the Tartous countryside. Hussein, who had been in hiding in a mountainous village, was referred to the judiciary for legal proceedings, the ministry said in a statement.
Although no charges were officially disclosed, Hussein’s long-standing role at Sednaya has drawn international attention for years. He is widely believed to have overseen serious human rights abuses at the facility, including torture, mass executions, and systematic starvation. The prison, located just north of Damascus, has been described by Amnesty International as a “human slaughterhouse.”
A source at the Ministry of Interior confirmed to The Media Line that Hussein was captured during a targeted security raid, without providing further details. The arrest marks a rare case of a high-ranking security official being detained in connection with alleged abuses within Syria’s prison system.
This holiday season, give to:
Truth and understanding
The Media Line's intrepid correspondents are in Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Pakistan providing first-person reporting.
They all said they cover it.
We see it.
We report with just one agenda: the truth.
Sednaya Prison has been the focus of multiple investigations by international organizations. A 2017 Amnesty International report estimated that between 2011 and 2015, approximately 13,000 people were hanged at the prison following summary trials. Most were civilians accused of opposing the regime. Former detainees have reported horrific conditions, including routine torture, beatings, and denial of food, medical care, and legal representation.
Hussein is said to have played a direct role in these practices, and his arrest may reflect a shift in strategy by the Syrian government as it seeks greater legitimacy on the world stage. In recent months, Damascus has stepped up efforts to rejoin regional diplomacy and rebuild ties with both Arab and Western countries.
Observers say the arrest may serve as a calculated gesture by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government to demonstrate a willingness to pursue accountability, or at least remove figures seen as international liabilities. The timing coincides with renewed international pressure on Damascus to address its human rights record and cooperate with global efforts to end the ongoing conflict, now in its 15th year.
Still, skepticism remains widespread. While the arrest could signal a change, human rights activists say it will mean little without transparent legal proceedings and broader reforms. “Purely symbolic,” one activist wrote on social media, summing up the sentiment among many Syrians and exiled opposition figures.
So far, international watchdogs such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have not commented publicly on Hussein’s arrest.
Whether this move marks a genuine break with the past or a tactical maneuver in Syria’s quest for international rehabilitation remains to be seen. For now, Col. Thaer Hussein’s detention stands as a rare exception in a country where accountability has long been elusive.
