Nabil Hawara vividly recalls the harrowing experiences of torture he endured during his 20-year imprisonment at Tadmur Military Prison in Syria from 1975 to 1995. The relentless brutality he faced included beatings with iron bars, guards urinating in food bowls, and severe physical assaults that left him fearing for his life daily. Hawara eventually escaped to Canada as a refugee, leaving behind the horrors of the prison.
Tadmur Military Prison, located in Palmyra, was notorious for its mass executions and relentless torture techniques described by Hawara as an “around-the-clock torture program.” The prison’s close proximity to a high school and playground meant that even children in the vicinity were too terrified to acknowledge its presence. The facility was eventually destroyed by ISIS in 2015.
Unlike other Syrian regime prisons, Tadmur was openly visible within the ancient city, showcasing the regime’s oppressive tactics to instill fear in the population. Hawara recounted how sounds of everyday life, such as the Islamic call to prayer or children playing, juxtaposed the ongoing torture within the prison walls.
After enduring unimaginable suffering, Hawara sought asylum in Canada in 2013, where he now resides with his family as Canadian citizens. Despite his release from Tadmur, the psychological scars of his imprisonment linger, impacting his health and daily life. The fall of the Assad regime has brought a glimmer of hope for justice and freedom for Syrians who have endured decades of oppression.