How Assad’s brutal legacy continues to haunt Syria: The Irish Times weighs in

DCM Editorial Summary: This story has been independently rewritten and summarised for DCM readers to highlight key developments relevant to the region. Original reporting by The Irish Times, click this post to read the original article.

As you reflect on Syria’s history, you’ll see that a significant moment is approaching: Syrians are preparing to publicly observe UN-designated Human Rights Day for the first time. This comes one year after the collapse of Bashir al Assad’s brutal regime. Now under the leadership of Islamist militia figure Ahmed al-Sharaa, the country has rejoined the broader international community. Still, Assad’s influence and legacy remain strong, with many Syrians carrying the trauma of years of oppression and violence.

You should know that a major development has shed light on what happened under Assad’s rule. A leaked archive containing 174,000 documents from the regime, including 33,000 photos of corpses—10,200 of them confirmed detainees—has been revealed. These images, many showing signs of severe torture and starvation, were released by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). This evidence could help the families of the disappeared find answers and pursue justice against those responsible.

The files show how Assad’s security apparatus meticulously documented arrests and deaths, often detaining people without cause. Many detainees were taken during security sweeps or targeted simply for being from towns seen as disloyal. The records echo the horrors seen in other oppressive regimes, such as the Nazis and the Khmer Rouge, showing the blind obedience and brutal efficiency with which Assad’s loyalists operated.

As you look at Syria today, the country’s wounds are far from healed. Although the current government has pledged to investigate the past and established two inquiry commissions, forced disappearances continue, with nearly 100 new cases reported just this year. Sectarian tensions and external threats, including Israeli military actions in the south, further complicate the fragile situation, making Syria’s path toward full recovery extremely challenging.