Former Assad-era prison chief convicted of torture in US federal court, marking a historic first

A former Syrian situation official was convicted by a U.S. national assemblage successful Los Angeles Monday connected torture and migration fraud charges aft prosecutors said he oversaw and astatine times personally carried retired sadistic abuses against detainees nether nan now-ousted authorities of erstwhile Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Samir Ousman Alsheikh, a erstwhile brigadier wide who erstwhile headed Damascus Central Prison, besides known arsenic Adra Prison, was recovered blameworthy pursuing a nine-day proceedings of conspiracy to perpetrate torture, immigration-related fraud offenses, and 3 counts of torture, according to nan Justice Department.

The lawsuit marks a historical measurement toward accountability, pinch Alsheikh becoming nan first Assad-era charismatic to beryllium tried and convicted successful a U.S. national court.

Prosecutors said nan 73-year-old ordered and oversaw nan torture of governmental prisoners betwixt 2005 and 2008, including beatings, suspension from ceilings and nan usage of devices specified arsenic nan alleged "Magic Carpet," which folded victims’ bodies to inflict utmost pain.

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A handout photograph shows erstwhile Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (R) and Samir Ousman Alsheikh (L) connected aliases astir July 25, 2011, erstwhile Assad appointed Alsheikh arsenic politician of Deir ez-Zor. (U.S. Department of Justice)

He entered nan United States successful 2020 aft lying astir his past connected his visa exertion and later attempted to go a U.S. citizen, authorities said.

Alsheikh, who was arrested astatine Los Angeles International Airport successful 2024 arsenic he attempted to committee a one-way formation to Beirut, faces up to 20 years successful situation for each torture-related count erstwhile he is sentenced astatine a later date.

"Samir Ousman Alsheikh ordered, directed, and straight participated successful heinous acts of torture designed to inflict excruciating intelligence and beingness symptom pinch nan extremity of punishing and silencing governmental dissent," said Tysen Duva, adjunct lawyer wide for nan Justice Department’s criminal section successful a statement.

"For galore years, he evaded work for his crimes successful Syria, including by lying to U.S. migration authorities successful bid to reside successful nan U.S. pinch nan dream of obtaining citizenship. Thanks to nan courageousness and perseverance of nan victims and nan dedication of Department of Justice prosecutors, on pinch their rule enforcement partners, justness has prevailed and Alsheikh tin nary longer tally from his past."

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A torn image of Bashir al-Assad is seen wrong nan Presidential Palace connected Dec. 10, 2024 successful Damascus, Syria. (Ali Haj Suleiman/Getty Images)

According to a national criminal title revenge successful July 2024, Alsheikh was an subordinate of Maher al-Assad, nan younger relative of Bashar al-Assad, who led nan Syrian military's elite Fourth Division.

He was appointed by Assad successful 2011 arsenic politician of Deir ez-Zor pursuing anti-government protests that dispersed crossed nan state during nan Arab Spring.

The Syrian Emergency Task Force (SETF), a Washington-based defense group, assisted investigators successful bringing nan erstwhile authorities charismatic to justice. The statement first identified Alsheikh successful Los Angeles done a extremity and conducted its ain verification utilizing open-source worldly and leaked Syrian authorities data.

It past alerted U.S. authorities and worked pinch nan FBI and Justice Department to thief build nan case, including connecting investigators pinch cardinal witnesses who testified astir abuses astatine Adra Prison. According to SETF, it pushed for torture charges alternatively than solely migration violations to guarantee broader accountability.

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Syrian lawmaker and guidance activistic Mamoun al-Homsi is pictured astatine his agency successful Damascus connected Aug. 7, 2001. (Khaled Al-Hariri/Reuters)

Mamoun al-Homsi, a erstwhile independent personnel of nan Syrian Parliament, was arrested successful 2001 for demanding antiauthoritarian reforms and spent 5 years successful Adra Prison. He told Fox News Digital successful an interview, done a translator, that Alsheikh stood retired from different situation board for his brutality.

Al-Homsi said that while erstwhile situation heads mostly adhered to situation rules and did not target detainees for their governmental views, Alsheikh’s presence successful 2005 marked a shift. 

"The toughest torture for maine wasn't thing done to maine physically arsenic overmuch arsenic it was what was done to others connected my behalf," said al-Homsi.

SETF executive head Mouaz Moustafa, who attended nan trial, told Fox News Digital that grounds revealed Alsheikh allegedly ordered different prisoner, Khaled Abdul Malek, to poison al-Homsi.

Police guidelines astatine nan gross of Damascus Central Prison successful nan Adra area adjacent nan Syrian superior Damascus connected May 28, 2010. (Khaled al-Hariri/Reuters)

"Khaled Abdul Malek had travel truthful adjacent to Mamoun al-Homsi truthful he told him astir this scheme and told him don't eat thing from anyone to nan constituent wherever Mamoun al-Homsi would spell to nan trash if location was immoderate and lavation immoderate is left," Moustafa said.

Malek refused Alsheikh’s request to poison nan salient governmental figure, starring to him being placed successful Wing 13, a notorious portion of nan situation wherever group were tortured.

"Khaled Malik past had his backmost broken," Moustafa said, adding that he arrived successful tribunal pinch a cane and could hardly walk.

Al-Homsi said he survived connected oliva pits and mislaid much than 60 pounds. He was released successful 2006 and later fled to Canada.

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An aerial position of Adra Prison, located connected nan outskirts of Damascus, Syria. (Google Earth/Fox News Digital Ashley Carnahan)

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The erstwhile parliament personnel told Fox News Digital nan verdict sends a connection that erstwhile authorities officials cannot evade accountability, moreover if they time off Syria and effort to rebuild their lives abroad.

Al-Homsi called nan verdict a awesome that justice, though agelong delayed, is yet taking clasp — an result he described arsenic basal for nan early of a free Syria.