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Lebanese Suheil Hamawi, who returned to his country after opposition groups overthrew the regime in Syria and freed detainees from Sednaya and other prisons turned into torture hubs in Damascus, shared his harrowing experiences during 33 years of captivity under the Assad regime. The toppled regime in Syria was notorious for operating numerous torture centers, described as "death hubs," across the country. Following the regime's collapse and the opposition’s takeover, anti-regime prisoners held in Sednaya and other detention centers were released. Among them was Lebanese national Suheil Hamawi, who was freed from Sednaya, widely referred to as a "human slaughterhouse" due to its use as a torture center under the Assad regime. Hamawi regained his freedom after the opposition forces gained control of Damascus and released the detainees. A victim of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, which tortured hundreds of thousands of individuals, Hamawi was abducted by Syrian forces in Lebanon in 1991. He was subsequently arrested and transferred to various prisons in Syria. Accused of opposing the Syrian regime's occupation of Lebanon (1976–2005), Hamawi endured 33 years of imprisonment, most of which were spent under inhumane conditions. ‘I had no hope of ever returning to my homeland and family’ Speaking to reporters, Hamawi expressed his joy at regaining freedom and returning to Lebanon after 33 years of captivity. He recalled being among the hundreds of Lebanese detained by Syrian intelligence in 1991 for their opposition to Syria’s military presence in Lebanon. (Footage by Ahmad Said / Anadolu Agency)