Christina Goldbaum

And his parents got very nervous about everything going on, so they pulled him out of class. And pretty early on, the war started to take its toll on his family. Two of his older brothers were both arrested by security forces. His dad tried to get both of them back to their families without any luck.

And his parents got very nervous about everything going on, so they pulled him out of class. And pretty early on, the war started to take its toll on his family. Two of his older brothers were both arrested by security forces. His dad tried to get both of them back to their families without any luck.

And at one point, he was describing this to me and said how he had asked someone in the security forces for more information on one of his sons and was told that his son would be released in two hours after questioning. And now he stayed in prison for 14 years. But it has been over a decade since. And why were Bilal's brothers arrested?

And at one point, he was describing this to me and said how he had asked someone in the security forces for more information on one of his sons and was told that his son would be released in two hours after questioning. And now he stayed in prison for 14 years. But it has been over a decade since. And why were Bilal's brothers arrested?

So, like a lot of families in Syria, they never actually got a clear answer of what either of the brothers was accused of. And that's something that was pretty common under Assad's government. These kind of arbitrary arrests where people are picked off the street, thrown into prison, and families don't know where they went or what happened to them or what the charges against them are.

So, like a lot of families in Syria, they never actually got a clear answer of what either of the brothers was accused of. And that's something that was pretty common under Assad's government. These kind of arbitrary arrests where people are picked off the street, thrown into prison, and families don't know where they went or what happened to them or what the charges against them are.

But I think his brother's arrest instilled a lot of fear in him. He was conscripted into the army when he was 18 years old, as men are required to do. And soon after, when he sees the horrors of the civil war and the risks that Syrian soldiers are facing, he deserts the military and goes back to his family. But deserting the army is what eventually gets him arrested by the police as well.

But I think his brother's arrest instilled a lot of fear in him. He was conscripted into the army when he was 18 years old, as men are required to do. And soon after, when he sees the horrors of the civil war and the risks that Syrian soldiers are facing, he deserts the military and goes back to his family. But deserting the army is what eventually gets him arrested by the police as well.

So he's moved from detention facility to detention facility and eventually put in a truck with around 150 other people, all of them with iron cuffs on their wrists tied to each other and brought to Sednaya.

So he's moved from detention facility to detention facility and eventually put in a truck with around 150 other people, all of them with iron cuffs on their wrists tied to each other and brought to Sednaya.

He described the conditions in the prison as being just absolutely horrifying. He's brought to this cell that's underground and rarely ever sees sunlight again. A tiny hole. Yeah. There were about 100 other people in the cell with him.

He described the conditions in the prison as being just absolutely horrifying. He's brought to this cell that's underground and rarely ever sees sunlight again. A tiny hole. Yeah. There were about 100 other people in the cell with him.

He said that usually they would only get one potato for eight people in a day. And that they would have to cut up that single potato into tiny portions for everyone who was sharing it with him.

He said that usually they would only get one potato for eight people in a day. And that they would have to cut up that single potato into tiny portions for everyone who was sharing it with him.

And they barely got any water with that, too.

And they barely got any water with that, too.

The prison guards would come around and do a roll call of everyone in the cell. And when that happened, they had to have their faces against the wall. And he never actually saw any of the guards who were there. He only ever heard their voices.

The prison guards would come around and do a roll call of everyone in the cell. And when that happened, they had to have their faces against the wall. And he never actually saw any of the guards who were there. He only ever heard their voices.

And then occasionally, he said often when they were in a bad mood or angry about something, they would drag one of the prisoners out and beat and torture him. Bilal said that occasionally he was the one who was brought out and taken to this room. As he was describing this to me, he kind of stood up and bent over, his hands by his ankles.

And then occasionally, he said often when they were in a bad mood or angry about something, they would drag one of the prisoners out and beat and torture him. Bilal said that occasionally he was the one who was brought out and taken to this room. As he was describing this to me, he kind of stood up and bent over, his hands by his ankles.