Mourners carried Mazen Al-Hamada's coffin through the streets of Damascus on Thursday, draped in the green, white, and black flag of the Syrian revolution that emerged in 2011. "We gave our blood and soul to the revolution," they chanted, as the procession grew, echoing sentiments of loss and defiance. Many grieved openly, crying out "Mazen is a martyr," a testament to his influence as a fierce critic of Bashar Al-Assad's regime.
Mazen's body, discovered in Seydnaya prison, bore signs of horrifying torture, as articulated by a doctor who examined it. "It's impossible to count the wounds on his body. His face was smashed and his nose was broken," lamented Lamyaa, his sister. Mazen, who became an outspoken critic after being arrested in 2011, had detailed his brutal treatment in the documentary "Syria's Disappeared," revealing the extensive torture mechanisms employed by the regime.
After fleeing to the Netherlands, Mazen faced significant mental health challenges, which were compounded by threats from regime-linked groups. In 2020, having been promised safety, he returned to Syria only to be arrested immediately upon arrival. His family believes his death followed the fall of Hama to rebel forces.
Mazen's story reflects a fraction of the vast human cost borne by the Syrian people under Assad's rule, with over 100,000 individuals having vanished, presumed dead. As families search for their lost loved ones among numerous bodies at a Damascus morgue, the overwhelming scent of death fills the air. Grieving families sift through remains, desperate for any semblance of closure.
The scenes are heartbreaking, as mothers identify disfigured bodies of their children, and men seek their brothers, lamenting the years lost to torture and violence. Many express a burning desire for justice against those responsible. "Every mother who is looking for her son should get revenge against Assad," urged one woman.
In conversations with Lamyaa, she articulated a desire for justice, signaling hope that perpetrators would one day face an appropriate legal reckoning. As the mourning continues, the call for justice, closure, and peace reverberates across communities weary from over a decade of uncertainty and strife.
