Funeral Held for Anti-Assad Activist Mazen Al-Hamada in Damascus

Warning: This article contains graphic details of torture. Crowds chanted, “We gave our blood and soul to the revolution,” as they carried Mazen Al-Hamada’s coffin through the streets of Damascus. The coffin was draped in the green, white, and black flag, which was adopted by protesters in 2011 and has become widely visible in the city since the fall of Bashar Al-Assad. As the funeral procession advanced, its size grew, with additional individuals joining. Many participants declared, “Mazen is a martyr,” and some were observed weeping. Mazen, an activist and vocal critic of the regime, was instrumental in informing the world about the brutality perpetrated by Assad’s regime against its populace. His body was discovered on Sunday within Seydnaya prison in Damascus, infamously known as the “slaughterhouse.” The body exhibited indications of severe torture. A medical professional who examined the body informed the BBC that it presented fractures, burn marks, and contusions across the entire body, claims that Mazen’s family also confirmed. His sister, Lamyaa, stated, “It’s impossible to count the wounds on his body. His face was smashed and his nose was broken.” Mazen Al-Hamada, who participated in the Syrian uprising that commenced in 2011, was subsequently arrested and subjected to torture. Following his release in 2013, he received asylum in the Netherlands, where he began to publicly recount his experiences in prison. Within the documentary “Syria’s Disappeared” by Afshar Films, Mazen detailed being raped, having his genitals clamped, and suffering broken ribs due to a guard repeatedly jumping on his chest. According to Mazen’s nephew, Jad Al-Hamada, Mazen developed severe depression and other mental health conditions while in asylum. During this period, he appeared in a video asserting that he was being threatened by members of Syria’s ethnic minority Kurds and advocated for retaliatory violence against them. His family maintains that he was not in a sound state of mind at that juncture. He made the decision to return to Syria in 2020. Lamyaa stated, “The government told him he had a deal and that he would be safe. He was also told that his family would be arrested and killed if he didn’t return.” Upon his arrival in the country, he was immediately arrested. His family suspects he was killed after rebels captured Hama last week, a short time before the regime’s collapse. Lamyaa commented, “I am happy that we are free, but I wish he had lived to see it. He paid the price for our freedom.” Mazen’s account offers a brief insight into the atrocities perpetrated by the Assad regime. Over 100,000 individuals vanished during his governance, with the majority presumed deceased. Their families are currently engaged in efforts to locate their remains. At a Damascus hospital, bodies transported from Seydnaya were arranged in a morgue. When capacity was exceeded, the most decomposed remains were placed in an adjacent shed-like structure. The odor was described as overwhelming. One of the bodies had been decapitated, while the others displayed indications of severe torture. A plastic bag containing a human skull and bones was located in a corner, which families were examining in an attempt to identify their relatives. The disfigured body of nineteen-year-old Ahmad Sultan Eid was identified by his mother and brother. His mother almost collapsed upon seeing it and was subsequently escorted to the emergency room by nurses. She wailed, “Oh my boy, my baby, you were only 19. There’s nothing left for us anymore.” Ahmad’s brother leaned his face against a wall and wept. Surrounding us, individuals displayed photographs of the loved ones they were seeking. Mustafa Khair-ul-Inam, an elderly man searching for his two sons, Omar and Mohammad, who vanished in 2011, remarked, “I haven’t been able to find anything. How can you find anything if you’re looking through skeletons?” Concurrently, Amhad Masri had arrived seeking his brother Khalil. He stated, “Until now we weren’t allowed to ask where our loved ones are, otherwise we would be arrested. Can you imagine our feelings? They didn’t do anything and just like that they are gone. Maybe they are in a mass grave somewhere. Living in a jungle was better than living in Syria.” Grief and rage, emotions that could not be openly expressed until only a week prior, were now being openly displayed. A woman loudly shouted, “Every mother who is looking for her son should get revenge against Assad. Putin should not give him refuge. He should send Assad back so we can execute him in a public square.” Mazen’s sister, Lamyaa, was asked about the form of justice she sought for her brother. She responded, “The perpetrators of the crimes have all escaped. But I want them brought back so we can get justice in a court of law.” Additional reporting was provided by Aamir Peerzadaa, Sanjay Ganguly, and Leen Al-Saadi. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external sites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.