The beatings began as soon as they were arrested, and they continued at a “welcome party” at the detention center.
That’s the term dozens of Syrian detainees used to describe treatment at the hands of government forces upon arriving at one of Syria’s prisons.A group of guards usually carried out the beatings, often with tools such as silicone bars and hoses, to punish prisoners for their perceived opposition to Bashar al-Assad’s regime, according to a new report from Amnesty International.The punishment was a sign of more torture to come.The detainees’ experiences are detailed in the new report, which estimates that 17,723 people have died in custody in Syria since the crisis began in March 2011 — an average rate of more than 300 deaths each month. – READ MORE