The U.S. Justice Department had on Thursday, announced that a federal grand jury in Los Angeles has charged a former Syrian government official who headed the Damascus Central Prison from 2005 to 2008 with torture.
The government official in question, Samir Ousman Alsheikh, aged 72, had governed the Adra prison (it’s colloquial name) during that period, and is claimed to have ordered subordinates to inflict grievous physical and mental pain, as well as suffering on political prisoners, and the others, according to the department.
The severe torture is said to have been aimed to deter opposition to the regime of ousted Syrian President Bashar ashar al-Asaad, according to the department, which added that Alsheikh later reportedly lied about his crimes to obtain a U.S. “green card”, or residence permit.
Alsheikh, purportedly held positions in the Syrian police and the state security apparatus, and was associated with the ruling Syrian Ba’ath Party. He was appointed the governor of the province of Deir Ez-Zour by Assad in 2011.
A superseding indictment which came out on Thursday alleged that Alsheikh immigrated to the United States in 2020 and applied for citizenship in 2023.
The indictment also revealed three counts of torture and one count of conspiracy to commit torture to charges of visa fraud and attempted naturalization fraud that figured in an initial indictment against Alsheikh in August.
Syrian rebels put an end to the Assad’s family’s over 50 years rule during the weekend following a lightning advance.
The 13-year old Syrian civil war killed hundreds of thousands, unleashed a refugee crisis, left the countryside depopulated, cities decimated to rubble and the Syrian economy flattened out by global sanctions.
