Hair-Raising Allegations of Gov’t Brutality, Torture Coming Out of Syria
- Posted on April 15, 2011 at 10:53pm by
Emily Esfahani Smith
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Tens of thousands of protesters shouting “We want freedom!” made a bold march on the Syrian capital Friday, but security forces beat them back with tear gas and batons as the country’s monthlong uprising swelled to the largest and most widespread gatherings to date, witnesses and activists said.
The violence outside of Damascus was the only major unrest reported during protests in several Syrian cities Friday, with security forces generally watching from the sidelines instead of cracking down. The change suggests President Bashar Assad may be trying to minimize deaths that have served to further outrage and mobilize the protesters.
In the CNN report below, there is footage of what appears to be Syrian troops brutalizing the protesters. The protesters are jumped on, beaten, kicked in the face, and called “dogs.”
There are also hair-raising images of prisoners–now released–who say they were tortured by Syrian officials when they were detained. There are also allegations of children being detained by Syrian authorities.
More than 200 people have been killed in the government crackdown in the past four weeks, according to Syria’s main pro-democracy group. There were no reports of live ammunition fired directly at protesters Friday.
This old man claims to have been tortured by Syrian officials:
The protests have forced Assad to reach out to local leaders and offer concessions – highly unusual steps for an authoritarian leader who keeps a tight grip on power with a small coterie of family and advisers. But the wave of demonstrations are posing the biggest challenge in decades to the Assad family’s iron rule.
“The street demands are much more advanced than what the president is offering,” said Mazen Darwish, a prominent Syrian writer and activist in Damascus. “The meetings with locals is a good sign, but it shows he is still dealing with the situation on a narrow, regional level as opposed to a national level.”
He said Friday’s protests appeared to be the biggest and most widespread so far, with well over 100,000 turning out. It was impossible to independently verify the accounts by witnesses and activists in Syria because the government has placed tight restrictions on media coverage, preventing access to trouble spots and expelling journalists.
Human Rights Watch issued a report Friday saying Syrian security and intelligence agencies have detained and tortured hundreds of protesters in a month of demonstrations.
“There can be no real reforms in Syria while security forces abuse people with impunity,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “President Assad needs to rein in his security services and hold them to account for arbitrary arrests and torture.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Ichbin2
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 6:04pmThis shouldn’t be happening in the 21st century! This is what happens when you have a President who sympathizes with TERRORIST’s! Look at Bill Ayers mentality? He wished he did “more” bombings and doesn’t have any regrets! He gets a free pass and gets to teach at a higher education Universities spreading his radical ideology as it’s “ok” to kill innocent people! Obama just sits there and does nothing! It must be the “LIBERAL” way of dealing with violence! Just look to Clinton and how he turned his cheek on Rwanda’s genocide! Absolutely despicable human beings who are our leaders!
Report Post »dirtybirb
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 2:42pmAnything on this “blaze” about the zionistskidnapping a fellow while he was on a train in the Ukraine and taking him back to the beachhead known as israel. Did G-d approve this? To all Beck followers look up dispensationalists. Do you really want all the Jews to die?
Report Post »sjohn70037
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 11:19amDon’t you just love it when one group of muslims kicks the crap out of another group of muslims?
Report Post »Eblaze44
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 12:38pmI love the political correctness of the title. Allegations – no proof – we just allege that they are doing this. When you SEE someone cut someones head off – he is only alleged to have done it?
Report Post »LukeAppling
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 11:42amWhen the Muslim Brotherhood is in power in Egypt, Syria, Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Libya and under Sharia Law will there an apology from the liberal media to Glenn Beck?
Report Post »thejackal
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 11:16amAhhh, an other wonderful country that celebrates the religion of peace. Just can’t seem to get their heads out of the Dark Ages. Assalaamu ‘alaykum my friends.
Report Post »ED4237
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 11:11amThis just shocking not what do we think gose on every day there they have no freedom and the freedom they want is not what we have. They want the Brotherhood incharge there as if they are better. Hamas is headquarter there and sturing up the pot there and in Isreal, people are being beat by whom for sure?
Report Post »Lebowski
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 3:43amIs it just me who thinks it is odd that Syria is rarely mentioned in the news? Syria has something that every Muslim country in the world wants…PROXIMITY TO ISREAL. What happens in Syria really matters and yet, once again, the media is dropping the ball. Our government is dropping the ball. Anyone surprised?
I fear for Isreal. I really do. The future doesn’t look good for that country.
Report Post »CaptainSpaulding
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 2:49amIs it really a Democracy movement?
Report Post »Sam Brown
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 2:05amThe world gives us grief over gitmo so Syria show us how we should really treat prisoners LOL LOL I am sure obama will follow their lead.
Sammy
Report Post »pwatkins
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 1:45amThe liberals don’t want to kill us ;they just wish we had been aborted; they take the easy way out. Remember they don’t want to fight for their country, just take it over and take from us what they think is theirs. Well I got news for them, I am on the right and believe in putting up a fight when I know I am right. I pray for peace among all nations, but feel it is time we take care of our own and stand with those that are civilized. We need to take a look at the Syrians and realize a divided country and dictatorship is not what we want. I don‘t want an Open Society with some of the tyrants I am seeing around the globe and don’t believe those stubborn ones on the left do either.
Report Post »miles from nowhere
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 12:46amThis is what Obama would do if he could right now because Dictators do not change and Obama really wants to be a Dictator in Chief, just kill anyone who disagrees with you. The liberal biased media is no different, they would rather kill people that disagree with them.
Report Post »DocStrangelove
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 12:51amMILES FROM NOWHERE…
You’re an idiot.
Period.
Report Post »marine249
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 2:04amDOCSTRANGELOVE
do you know how print anything else than
you’re an idiot
period
just asking
Report Post »DocStrangelove
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 5:49pmIf the JACKBOOT fits…
IDIOT.
Report Post »concealled9mms
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 12:40amwhy hasnt bad azz obamma step in and start killing innocent people with his bombs. he dosent have to go to congress just start bombing
Report Post »DocStrangelove
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 12:41am{{{{{{yawn}}}}}}
Report Post »DocStrangelove
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 12:24amThe THUGS that control Syria can utilize all the draconian methods at their disposal but, in the long run, it will be to no avail.
Once the cause of freedom unfetters itself from the poverty, the fear & the hopelessness.. cynically plied & deliberately drummed into the psyche of the oppressed masses (controlling them.. enslaving them), the results are inevitable..
And we are witnessing it as we speak.
“The outcry & the birth-cry of new life at its term”, as the great poet Seamus Heaney had written.
It is for the PEOPLE of Syria to see this through.. it must be THEIR victory in the end.. otherwise it is just another form of subjugation.
Soon, these despots will be joining Mubarak and, eventually, Gaddafi in the pantheon that all of the great despots of all time eventually end up… the cesspool of history.
“There have been tyrants & mȗrderers & for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall — think of it, ALWAYS.”
~~~ Mohandas Gandhi
Report Post »mendolover
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 12:12amHe doesn’t look that old. If you are fortunate enough you will live as long as this guy.
Report Post »burgerdude
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 11:55pmNot to worry, our Sec of State Hillary Clinton said that President Bashar al-Assad is a REFORMER and therefore is not the same as Moammar Gaddafi; you know, a tyrant who would butcher his own people and therefore deserves regime change. (sarcasm implied)
Report Post »NutterButter79
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 11:38pmSecuring the boarder. Saving money by not running three wars at the same time will help the deficit. It will provide some much needed rest to our brave men and women.
Report Post »NutterButter79
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 11:26pmIS OBUMMER going to send our troops there too? Bring them home NOW! We need to stop policing the world and focus on home for a change. This nation is falling apart. Secure our nation, then worry about everyone elses problems later. If they are not a direct threat to us…let em be!
Report Post »NutterButter79
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 11:27pmSorry for the double post…computer is a little funny tonight!
Report Post »Non-sequitur
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 11:30pmIn how far can the problems that America faces today be solved by military personnel?
Report Post »NutterButter79
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 11:23pmSo….is The Great One going to send our men and women there to save the day? When will we stop being the world police and just let the people beat each other senseless? Bring the troops home and secure this country….eff the world!
Report Post »benrush
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 11:15pmRight, I fall for any revolution that wraps itself in the banner of liberty.
After years of deploring our founders, the left wants us to think that all of sudden, they support individual rights and liberty around the globe? Why not at home? Why all the government despotism on THEIR watch? Quick, look over there, a victim needs your help. Oh don’t worry about the left hand, we’ve got your back.
Report Post »donh2
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 11:12pmAssad’s first name is by no accident Bashir. He will bash yer skull in if you disobey his long term war to reclaim the Golan Heights.
Report Post »teachermitch32
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 11:07pmLibs and progressives….Unite…go over there quick. Get the hell out of our sphere and do something about what you “say” you stand for. I will expect that the trolls will be coming out here soon.
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 4:51amAllah works in wondrous ways
Report Post »MODEL82A1
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 10:58pmHey, Libs, here’s a golden opportunity for you all to head on over to Syria to defend the human-rights of its citizens. That shouldn’t take any more courage that it does to anonymously trash one American political party, should it?
Report Post »82dAirborne
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 11:36pmStrange…… I didn’t see Mike Moore or Code Pink. I guess I missed that part.
Report Post »DocStrangelove
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 12:38amWhy aren’t YOU suiting up, Rambo?
Report Post »Sam Brown
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 2:17amCome on now LOL you know the progressives would never risk life or limb for their fellow man. They just know if something needs to be done then government should do it. Draft them to help and they will kill anyone in their way toward Canada. LOL LOL
Sammy
Report Post »DocStrangelove
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 6:12pmSAM BROWN..
I lost most of my right leg during TET, Sammy boy…
When & where did YOU serve???
Report Post »Sam Brown
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 12:50amGuess that makes you a leg up on me doc. I haven’t been to war since 05 in Iraq. Don’t bother with any more post to me, I won’t waste time on you.
Sammy
Report Post »Robert-CA
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 10:55pmThey are torturing 11 & 12 year old , this is the worst regime in the middle east who’s an ally to Iran .
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 11:12pmcoming soon to th USA if we are not careful…..
Report Post »Enuff Zenuff
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 11:21pmSomehow, doesn’t saddling our American 11 & 12 year olds with 100′s of thousands of dollars worth of debt rate as a special kind of torture? More mental than physical. My heart goes out to the Syrians – may they reach the point where they’ve had enough and throw off this brutal regime.
Report Post »theonefromabove
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 11:23pmThis would not surprise me. Unfortunately.
http://politicalbowl.com – Political Videos
Report Post »nptden
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 11:28pmIn Syria there is documentation of the abuse and killing of ‘civilians’. We do nothing. In Libya, there was no evidence against Qadaffi. Barry wanted to go there, for one reason. Help the Muslim Brotherhood and Al Queda take over. Hillary and Barry are both NWO/Marxist/Communists.
Report Post »Gold Coin & Economic News
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 11:38pmWe are probably going to see union thugs doing this, come time for Barry to be reelected.
Report Post »obama-mecca-me-sick
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 11:49pmAdd your comments
Report Post »Jabber
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 12:12amJZS
You make me sick.
Report Post »thepatriotdave
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 12:40am“Hair-Raising Allegations of Gov’t Brutality, Torture Coming Out of Syria”
——————————————————————————————————–
Well duuuh. What do you expect from a sponsor of world-wide terrorism?
I don‘t know how this would work out for the Israeli’s buuuuuuutttttt…….. wouldn’t it be ironic if the “the people” of Syria asked for help from the Israeli’s to overthrow the Syrian government of Assad?
Calling all Patriots
Report Post »Join us in drafting Col. Allen West to run for POTUS…
http://www.americasteapartynews.com/allen-west-files.php
DocStrangelove
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 12:40amNPTDEN…
“…. In Libya, there was no evidence against Qadaffi. Barry wanted to go there, for one reason. Help the Muslim Brotherhood and Al Queda take over. Hillary and Barry are both NWO/Marxist/Communists.”
—
Is this a joke or are you TRULY as ignorant as this BREATHTAKINGLY stupid post implies???
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 1:05amThis really just looks like one of those work at home seminars or a timeshare pitch, “Just sign the contract”.
Report Post »Polwatcher
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 6:26amThere are atrocities in a lot of places around the globe. We do not have the means to be the policeman of the world without pay. We are broke. Unfortunately for us, some of our politicians like Obama, find some kind of financial or political satisfaction in waging war against some people like Libyans and not on others like Syrians.
Report Post »bullcrapbuster
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 11:29amSoon these brave freedom fighters will have a democracy just like their brothers and sisters in Iran. Then they will free Israel and soon the world will be free,just like Iran. Praise Allah.
Report Post »mrsmileyface
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 2:39pmTorture coming out of Syria. Say it aint so Say it aint so. Well that blows my plans of going to Damascus and partying it up with the locals.
Report Post »