“The fallen regime has left deep wounds. Healing them requires a lot of wisdom, relentless effort, and tireless perseverance. Victory is not merely an achievement, it is a responsibility.”
From the Inaugural Address of Ahmad al-Sharaa, January 29, 2025
Before the liberation of Damascus in December 2024, life in Syria was a living hell for the majority of its people. During the 54-year dictatorship of the Assad family, millions fled into exile; among those who remained, hundreds of thousands faced persecution, torture and death for opposing the regime. Countless others were killed in the collective uprising and civil war that began in 2011, triggered by the regime’s fierce repression of dissent.
This was the reality for the Syrian people until December 2024, when the insurgency led by Ahmad al Sharaa’s forces deposed the despotic regime. Up until then, the people endured attacks by Iranian-sponsored factions, Russian bombings in support of the regime, killings by elements of ISIS and other outside forces seeking control, plus conflict between internal militias, often ignited on behalf of external forces.
To further divide the population and augment its control, the Assad regime encouraged espionage and betrayal among its citizens. Threats of rebellion resulted in largescale massacres and imprisonment in jails where dissidents underwent constant torture and where death was a daily occurrence.
The nature of life for those who protested against the old regime is conveyed in the following testimonies. *
1. Omar Alshogre – Former Syrian prisoner
When he was a teenager, Omar was arrested for taking part in a peaceful protest against the regime. He was sent to Sednaya prison, known as one of the most brutal in the world. During his three years in detention, he endured extreme torture and chronic hunger, witnessing the deaths of many cellmates. He recalls seeing bodies piled up in the corridors and prisoners being forced to move the corpses with their bare hands. His mother paid a substantial bribe for his release. Today he lives in exile and shares his story to raise global awareness.
“I wasn’t a man, I was a number. I was just a body to be tortured.” – Omar Alshogre
2. Mazen Darwish – Journalist and human rights activist
Mazen, the founder of the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression, was arrested in 2012 for his work in defending press freedom. His “crime” was documenting human rights violations. He was held in solitary confinement, tortured, and denied contact with his family for years. He was released as a result of intense international pressure and now lives in exile.
“They didn’t just want to punish me. They wanted to erase the memory of those who told the truth.” – Mazen Darwish
3. “Caesar” – Regime photographer
A military photographer, known by the pseudonym “Caesar,” was assigned to document for internal use the bodies of prisoners who had died under torture. He managed to escape, taking with him over 50,000 images showing emaciated, mutilated bodies bearing clear signs of torture. These photos became crucial evidence in international trials for crimes against humanity.
“I saw the face of death every day. But the world had to know.” –Caesar
4. Dima Nasr – Student and activist
Dima was 19 when she was arrested for taking part in a university protest. She was locked in a cell with 40 other women, many of whom were physically and sexually abused. After six months, she was released without any formal charges. She never returned to university, and her family later emigrated to Turkey.
“They didn’t break me, but they tried in every possible way.” – Dima Nasr
* [Sources include global media, human rights organizations, and Wikipedia.]
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With the fall of the Assad regime, the new interim government restored freedom and dignity to the Syrian people…
These individuals and countless others risked their lives to protest against the brutal dictatorship and fight for freedom and justice. With the fall of the Assad regime, the new interim government restored freedom and dignity to the Syrian people and immediately began working to reform the system of justice. The removal of censorship was one of the first and most dramatic changes noted by Syrians returning from exile. Free speech, including harsh criticism of the government, has been permitted in public places from the start of this year.
Subduing violence fomented by armed separatist factions and external actors seeking to obstruct the country’s unification is one of the great challenges facing Syria’s new leaders. Having forsworn the use of force, the new administration is striving to foster a national spirit and unite the disparate groups around a shared vision of renewal. The emblem of a unified Syria, unveiled on July 3, 2025, reflects the aim to cultivate an inclusive identity, one that unifies the country’s cultural, religious, ethnic and tribal communities under a single banner.
Those who liberated Syria from dictatorship face the daunting task of uniting groups that have seen each other as enemies for generations. Ancient resentments and the desire for revenge cannot be erased overnight. The new government is seeking to establish trust in a land and region of the world where there has been little trust in those who ruled, where brutal leaders were frequently replaced by violent coups, and where dynasties held onto power through harsh and often cruel mechanisms of control.
Stoking division has been one of those control mechanisms. A united, democratic Syria poses a threat to those with vested interests in preserving the old order, in which the incitement of conflict was a strategy for maintaining power. The new government has been under attack from internal and external forces seeking to obstruct the building of a democratic, rights-based, and unified Syria.
In the light of the extreme challenges and dangers inherited by the new leaders, … the progress made at home and abroad is nothing short of extraordinary.
In the light of the extreme challenges and dangers inherited by the new leaders, along with outbreaks of violence that curtail their forward momentum, the progress made at home and abroad is nothing short of extraordinary. Every step forward is slowed by scars left by the former regime and by forces determined to wreak chaos.
In the midst of persistent unrest, however, Syria’s new leaders press on with their mission to transform the life of their country. Their words and actions reflect a belief that healing among adversaries is possible, plus a powerful determination to bring the healing about. In place of consolidating power through repression and destruction, they have chosen a path to restoring dignity, protecting human rights, building democracy, and cultivating trust—the only enduring alternative to ceaseless war.
August 2025