I was standing in front of my house in Slaibeh area early May of this year. It was heavily raining and the road was empty. Suddenly, around 1o security personnel came out of nowhere and walked towards my direction. Without thinking, I sprang and tried to run away but they caught me. I was brutally beaten for about a quarter of an hour which was as long as a quarter of a century. One of the security forces asked me while I was under the beating: “aren’t you afraid?” I said no and he pulled his gun into my head. I told him that I didn’t do anything. I was simply standing in front of my house. They kept beating me till the police car arrived. In the car, I started bleeding while I was still being beaten.
During interrogation, I experienced all kinds of torture, from the “Flying Carpet” to the wheel, in addition to whipping with cables and electrical batons. In detention there were many elderly people, 3 kids under the age of 15 y.o. Equality existed in that detention center! All will get the same beating regardless of his age or condition.
I was then transferred to the state security headquarters where I stayed for 20 days. Later, I was transferred to the military security headquarters and stayed for an equal duration and I received the same treatment as well.
The detainees from Jableh city in Lattakia where getting the roughest torture. One of them was accused of providing medical first aid to his wounded brother after a demonstration.
After the military security headquarters, I was transferred to a civil prison. To my astonishment, I met with a Christian prisoner who was arrested on the background of “takbeer” (chanting Allahu Akbar). Another Christian prisoner was accused of being a salafi (extremist Muslim!)
That’s why I wasn’t surprised when I was also accused of being a salafist, conspiring with Bandar bin Sultan and insulting the president!
I was finally released but I am still waiting my trial. I still think of those who I left behind me in prisons and detention centers.
