Mazen Hamada

Mazen al-Hamada (; - ) was a Syrian activist from Deir ez-Zor. Hamada was imprisoned and tortured for more than a year and a half for participating in anti-government protests in the context of the Arab Spring in 2011. After being exiled from Syria, he became an asylum seeker in the Netherlands. While residing in Europe, he testified to the abuse he had suffered and witnessed. Hamada became internationally known for his testimony on the crimes of the Ba'athist regime.

In 2020, Hamada decided to return to Syria, only to become the victim of enforced disappearance, when he was arrested upon arrival at the airport by Syrian intelligence. His body was found in Sednaya Prison's morgue on December 9, 2024 after the fall of the Assad regime.

His funeral, held on 12 December, was attended by hundreds of Syrians; he has since been hailed as a martyr and a symbol of the Syrian opposition.

Biography Hamada was a graduate of the Institute of the Petroleum Industry, and worked as a technician for the French multinational oil and gas company Schlumberger.

At the start of the Syrian revolution of 2011, Hamada took part in demonstrations calling for more freedom and democracy, and decided to film these events with his phone. He was released a week later. After a second arrest on 29 December 2011, and after two weeks of detention in the same branch, he decided to leave for Damascus.

Arrests, imprisonment, and torture In March 2012, Hamada attempted to smuggle 55 packages of baby formula to a suburb of Damascus. Soon after, he and his two nephews were arrested. They were brought to the branch of the air force intelligence service of Mezzeh Military Airport. Hamada's two nephews would later die in detention.

Under torture, Hamada was forced to confess to charges of being a terrorist, possessing weapons, and murdering regime soldiers. When he refused to confess, agents were called to torture him. He was beaten and suspended by the wrists. To alleviate his suffering, he agreed to sign a forced confession, admitting that he possessed a weapon to protect the demonstrators, but refused to admit to committing any crimes. He was then transferred to another interrogation room, where he was undressed and sexually abused. After this torture he signed all of the documents.

Exile After his release, Hamada was still wanted by the intelligence services. He therefore decided to leave Syria and applied for asylum in the Netherlands.

Hamada received support from several NGOs in his testimony on the crimes of the Assad regime. He testified before the United States Congress. However, he also struggled to rebuild his life in Europe as he suffered from severe depression and other mental health issues. He also became frustrated by the world's inaction against the Assad regime. During this period, he appeared in a video where he claimed that he was being threatened by Syrian Kurds, and called for violence against them. His family later said that he was not of sound mind when he made those statements.

Return to Syria, rearrest, and death

Hamada wanted to help the Syrians still detained but felt powerless to improve their situation. He may have been approached by staff of the Syrian embassy, closely tied to the Assad regime, who lured him back to Syria by promising to release detainees. His fate remained unknown for over four years. He is believed to have been executed two days before Assad fled the country.

His face was severely disfigured and his body showed extensive signs of torture and beatings. The forensic doctor who examined him said that unlike most prisoners found in the morgue, who died from starvation or asphyxia in their overcrowded cells, Hamada was one of only two with external injuries. Multiple fractures, burn marks and injuries "to his entire body" that had clearly been inflicted over multiple days before his death could be observed. It could not be determined which injury caused his death.

His funeral was held on 12 December in Damascus. Hundreds attended his funeral, during which his coffin was draped with the opposition flag and he was hailed as a martyr by attendants.