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U.S. SUIT FILED BY SYRIAN-AMERICAN FORMER DETAINEE SPOTLIGHTS SYRIAN REGIME’S POLICY AND PRACTICE OF TORTURE IN DETENTION

A lawsuit filed by the Center for Justice & Accountability (CJA) and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP (Freshfields) against the government of Syria for widespread and systematic torture in its detention centers was unsealed by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. This suit was filed on behalf of Obada Mzaik, a Syrian-American citizen who was detained and tortured at the Air Force Intelligence Branch at the Mezzeh Military Airport, which houses the presidential plane of Bashar al-Assad.
“I am filing this lawsuit in the name of all the many Syrians who were tortured in detention centers but who don’t have the opportunity to obtain justice,” said Mzaik.
Mzaik was a 22-year-old student when he was detained and tortured in 2012 as part of the nationwide strategy of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime to suppress democratic protests and silence perceived opponents to his authoritarian rule. Integral to the regime’s repressive strategy was the widespread and systematic detention, interrogation, and torture of Syrian civilians, a practice that continues to this day. More than 130,000 Syrians reportedly remain missing or arbitrarily detained — the vast majority of whom are either presumed dead or are detained without communication with family or legal representation.
CJA Senior Staff Attorney Daniel McLaughlin, stated: “This landmark lawsuit targets the responsibility of the Syrian regime for the state’s policy of detention, torture, enforced disappearance and execution of those who are seen as a threat to the regime. We intend to demonstrate how, as one of the four intelligence agencies tasked with the surveillance, arrest, detention, and torture of the regime’s perceived political opponents, the Air Force Intelligence Directorate was, and continues to be, integral to the government’s repressive policies.”
The Air Force Intelligence Branch at the Mezzeh Military Airport, where Mzaik was held and tortured, is reported to have one of highest mortality rates across all Syrian detention centers.
The lawsuit was filed under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, a federal law that permits victims to sue designated state-sponsors of terrorism, like Syria, for the torture of U.S. nationals. As required by law, the plaintiffs have given the Syrian government an opportunity to arbitrate the claim for torture. “U.S. courts have broad jurisdiction against state-sponsors of torture, and we expect to prove that our client’s torture was carried out as part of a state-sanctioned policy and practice by Syria,” said Lee Rovinescu, a partner at Freshfields.
The case has prompted an international coalition of detention survivors, Syrian families and human rights organizations to launch a campaign, “Free Syria’s Disappeared,” calling for the release of all those still arbitrarily held in Syrian detention centers and for survivors of torture to be able to pursue justice (www.freesyriasdisappeared.org). Yasmen Almashan, of the Caesar Families Association and a spokesperson for the coalition stated, “We support the filing of the U.S. suit, which will help to document the impact of detention, not just on the detainees themselves but also on their family members and loved ones, many of whom continue to suffer to this day from the state’s brutal policy.”
About the Center for Justice and Accountability
The Center for Justice and Accountability (CJA) is a San Francisco-based international human
rights organization dedicated to working with communities impacted by torture, war crimes,
crimes against humanity, and other serious human rights abuses to seek truth, justice, and redress
using innovative litigation and transitional justice strategies. CJA has successfully brought cases
against defendants such as the Minister of Defense of Somalia’s Siad Barre regime, the military
officer responsible for the assassination of Chilean activist and singer Victor Jara, and Syria’s
Assad regime for its targeted killing of war correspondent Marie Colvin.
About Freshfields
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP is a global law firm with a long-standing track record of successfully supporting the world’s leading national and multinational corporations, financial institutions and governments on groundbreaking and business-critical matters. The firm’s 2,800-plus lawyers deliver results worldwide through its offices and alongside leading local firms. For more information visit Freshfields.us.
BY: CJA
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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