Damascus detains former Saydnaya jailer amid transitional justice probe

Arrest

Syria’s Interior Ministry announced the arrest of former military police sergeant Mohammad Imad Mahrez, who worked as a guard and jailer at Saydnaya military prison from 2015 under the deposed regime. The ministry said competent authorities are continuing investigations to determine the practices attributed to him and will pursue legal measures accordingly.

Context and next steps

The ministry described the arrest as part of broader efforts to hold accountable individuals accused of crimes and violations against Syrians during the ousted regime, invoking principles of transitional justice and measures to prevent impunity while seeking to guarantee the rights of victims and their families through legal accountability, as reported by SANA