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Tortured refugee rejoices as he plans return to Syria following fall of Assad's regime
8 December 2024, 13:49 | Updated: 9 December 2024, 07:52
Refugee rejoices as he plans return to Syria following fall of Assad's regime
A tortured Syrian journalist has shared his joy following the fall of Assad's government, telling LBC the leader "must be punished for his crimes".
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Speaking on Sunday with Lewis Goodall, Suhaib Jaber fled to Germany amid the Syrian crisis and now has refugee status in the UK.
Jaber told Lewis: "Its a glorious day for the Syrian people, souls of the victims who died in Hassad prisons".
President of Syria, Bashar al-Assad, fled the country after rebel forces took control of the capital Damascus.
The Russian foreign ministry has confirmed this but has not shared details of Assad's whereabouts.
"15 million people have displaced from Syria have hope again for a safe homeland and a promising future. Syrians have regained some of their dignity and freedom," Mr Jaber said.
Lewis reacts as the news breaks that President Assad's 24-year period of power has 'come to an end'
"Justice will be achieved for the souls of almost a million Syrians who were killed by Assad’s regime," he continued.
"Today the international community will achieve the transition of justice persecuting the war criminal Bashar al-Assad who is hiding by the way now."
When asked whether Jaber thinks Bashar al-assad should be subject to international criminal court, he responded: "Sure, for his horrible crimes also his crimes were documented."
"I don’t know how they can film the crimes whilst killing and throwing people in prison and torturing them whilst documenting it live."
Jaber was captured and tortured by the regime as he was filming the demonstrations and protests.
He explained of his arrest: "They hung us from the roof of the room and used several methods of torturing. A lot of children burned in the prison."
Lewis asked Jaber what his hopes and fears are now that the regime is gone, he said: "It’s not only my hope but all the Syrian people which is at first persecuting the war criminals, Bashar Al-Assad and let him go to justice,
"Let him be punished for his crimes."
"Also all the war criminals not only Bashar, some of them are still in Syria, some of them fled, the international community should find these war criminals and punish them.
"I hope all Syrian displaced people will go back to Syria and begin a new safe life with dignity to get where they were before the war started in Syria.
"To live a normal happy life, to go back to my home at then of the day as a Syrian citizen to do what I want in a safe place."
Assad previously relied on Russia and Iran but with its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and Iran's conflict with Israel, Syria's army stood alone.
The collapse of Mr Assad’s regime represents a critical turning point for Syria, after 13 years of brutal civil war.
Entire towns and cities lie in ruins, hundreds of thousands have been killed, and millions have been driven to seek refuge abroad.
