Uncovering the atrocities of the Assad regime at its 'death factory' on the hill

Sednaya prison was the site where thousands of Syrians were tortured and killed under Assad’s regime. Investigators have uncovered mass graves, and are calling for justice.

Efrat Lachter is an investigative reporter and war correspondent. Her work has taken her to 40 countries, including Ukraine, Russia, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, and Afghanistan. She is a recipient of the 2024 Knight-Wallace Fellowship for Journalism. Lachter can be followed on X @efratlachter.

"Rights groups have documented that at least 10% of those detained lost their lives in these prisons, though some reports suggest the figure could be as high as 20%," said Joseph Braude, founder of the Center for Peace Communications, an NGO dedicated to resolving identity-based conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa, whose group gained rare access to Sednaya. "The number continues to rise as families speak out about the whereabouts of their missing loved ones, many of whom remain unaccounted for."