A report detailing the illegal transfer of approximately 140 Syrian citizens from mercenary-run prisons in occupied territories to prisons in Turkey has been released by the Violations Documentation Centre of the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria.
The report highlights a series of transfers, involving women and children, who were subsequently subjected to long-term incarceration in poor prison conditions.
The documented transfers began on 11 October 2019, when Turkey moved 63 citizens from Tell Abyad (Girê Spî) to Hilvan prison in the Turkish province of Şanlıurfa (Riha), where they received extensive sentences. The pattern continued over the years, with significant incidents recorded throughout 2023. For instance, on 25 September 2023, six Syrians, including a minor and individuals of Kurdish and Turkmen descent, were moved from a prison run by the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army in Tell Abyad to Şanlıurfa, having been arrested while attempting to escape to Europe.
The report further noted transfers on several occasions in October and November 2023, where individuals were moved from various locations including Ras al-Ayn (Serê Kaniyê) and Afrin (Efrîn), often through unofficial crossings like al-Hammam, and were charged with allegedly threatening Turkish national security and planning terrorist operations.
“Transfers included young individuals like Haya al-Nabboud and her sister, Ola, along with others like Nazli Darwish and Ali al-Nabboud, showcasing a disregard for the legal and humane treatment of prisoners,” the report stated, noting the severity of the accusations laid against these individuals.
The documentation of these cases provides critical evidence of the ongoing challenges and abuses faced by Syrians in the context of Turkish military actions and policies in the region.
