Families of Saydnaya detainees look forward to meet with their relatives
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Ruba Obeid, 35 and a mother of two, spent two days in front of Saydnaya prison near Damascus to meet her detained husband who was included in the amnesty decree issued by the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on April 30.
Obeid did not manage to see him or even know any information about him, so she went back to the al-Ra’is Bridge neighborhood in the city of Damascus. She hopes to hear any news about her husband.
On April 30, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad issued a decree granting general amnesty for “terrorist crimes” committed by Syrians before April 30, 2022.
“My mother-in-law died without being able to see her son. I remained alone with my two children. If my father did not help me, I would be begging in the streets,” Obeid said.
Obeid’s husband was arrested on December 15, 2011, on charges of participating in the demonstrations. “Since then, he has gone missing and we did not know anything about him, but two days ago, one of the released told us that he died under torture inside Saydnaya prison.”
“Despite the news, I will not stop looking for him, even if he was disabled, amnesiac or a dead.”
Since the issuance of the decree, the government forces announced the release of 252 detainees.
However, dozens of families are waiting for the release of new groups of the detainees.
Fatima Sarwa, 62, an IDP from Golan who lives in al-Yarmouk Camp neighborhood in Damascus, said that she does not know anything about her son who has been arrested since April 4, 2013 on charges of “financing terrorism”.
“I am so happy because I saw his name in the list of the names included in the amnesty decree. I have been here waiting for him for two days. I am sad, at the same time, on the mothers who are still waiting to hear good news about their sons,” Sarwa added.