Outrage as Syrian community group paints over Assad regime cells

A Syrian youth group has sparked outrage after painting over the walls of a former security dungeon, “erasing evidence” of Bashar al Assad regime‘s atrocities.

The group, Sawaed Al-Khair (“Hands of Goodness”), described their actions as part of a broader effort to “heal wounds” but critics slammed the move as a violation of justice and memory.

In a released video, members of the group entered the dimly lit facility, illuminating their path with phone flashlights. Once a site of unimaginable suffering, the dungeon was one of Assad’s notorious prisons where countless detainees endured torture.

Young volunteers then appeared to paint walls and add uplifting messages. One participant declared: “This place held people breathing without life, but now, it will change.”

The now-deleted video quickly went viral, sparking widespread condemnation on social media. Syrian journalist Ahmed Abu Al-Waleed criticised the group on X, writing: “No matter the intention, this is a huge loss. It’s mind-boggling how something like this was allowed to happen.

“Only someone who has never endured Assad’s horrors could fail to grasp the importance of preserving the names and writings of missing victims on the walls of Syria’s dungeons.”

Critics believe the prisons should be preserved as sites of remembrance and justice. Activists and human rights groups stressed the need to safeguard these locations as crucial evidence of the Assad regime’s crimes, including torture and extrajudicial killings. 

Fadel Abdul Ghany, director of the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), warned against tampering with sites of mass abuse.

“This is a grave violation and could be intentional,” He told Syria TV. “Perpetrators often seek to erase traces of their crimes. Interfering with crime scenes jeopardises justice for victims and accountability for perpetrators.”

The SNHR has repeatedly called for the protection of detention sites. In a recent statement, the organisation emphasised that entering such facilities without proper legal oversight risks damaging critical evidence, such as names or inscriptions left by detainees.

The group claims these traces could help uncover the fates of the thousands who disappeared into Assad’s prisons. 

In response to the backlash, a Sawaed Al-Khair member defended the initiative.

“We coordinated with security authorities before starting. This is about transformation – turning a symbol of oppression into something positive,” the group said, claiming only one cell was repainted and suggested the site would soon be repurposed as a government facility. 

Prominent Syrian lawyer Anwar Al-Bunni slammed the initiative as “reckless and damaging”.

Speaking to local media, Al-Bunni explained that graffiti, marks, and writings on the walls could serve as vital evidence in uncovering the truth about detainees’ suffering and possibly locating missing victims. 

“Without a formal transitional justice mechanism, these actions highlight the lack of accountability and planning in dealing with Syria’s dark legacy,” he added. 

Sawaed Al-Khair, which presents itself as an independent, volunteer-led initiative focused on post-war reconstruction, has previously been criticised for its perceived ties to pro-regime figures.

A video linked to the group showed prominent Syrian media personality, Yazan Fouiti, attending a team meeting. Fouiti’s past collaboration with regime-affiliated projects has raised suspicions about the group’s independence. 

Human Rights Watch has reiterated its call for the Syrian government to safeguard evidence from detention centres and security branches. The organisation claimed these sites should be preserved as historical records and potential justice.  

Former detainees and activists insist that efforts to preserve detention sites must remain a priority. Taqa Mardini, a Syrian activist and survivor of regime imprisonment, decried the initiative as an affront to victims. 

“These walls bear witness to unspeakable pain,” Mardini said. “They are not canvases for art but archives of suffering. Erasing them is an insult to the memory of those who died here.”