Syrian Prison Uprising Set to End as Release of Inmates is Agreed

Dozens of mostly political prisoners held without charge in Syria could soon be released, after a tentative deal was reached to end a strike by nearly 800 inmates at a prison in the west-central city of Hama.

Speaking on Monday, rights groups and activists in touch with the inmates said the deal brokered late on Sunday would end a mutiny in the facility that started last week. The revolt erupted after it emerged five inmates were to be taken to the notorious Sadnaya prison for the implementation of death sentences passed by an extra-judicial military tribunal.

"The regime has agreed to most of our demands to release those political detainees held without charges," said a rights activist in touch with two inmates who requested anonymity.

The prisoners seized the prison 130 miles from Damascus a week ago, taking some guards hostage.

That prompted a siege in which the authorities tried to storm the civilian prison on Friday using tear gas bombs and rubber bullets in an attempt to end the rebellion.

Leading Syrian rights activist Mazen Darwish, a former detainee in the prison who is in touch with the prisoners, said a verbal agreement had been reached, but did not give details.

Another rights activist in touch with inmates said the deal was brokered after tribal figures intervened with the authorities who gave assurances to inmates held without charge they would be released if they ended their revolt.

The Syrian interior ministry has denied the reports about Hama central prison but has not elaborated on the issue since Monday.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights — which has documented violence and human rights abuses in Syria's ongoing civil war since 2011 — had confirmed a deal was in the works to release 26 detainees. The authorities earlier released 46 detainees under Red Crescent mediation, before negotiations broke down.

The deal follows the worsening of conditions worsened and appeals by inmates to the International Committee of the Red Cross after prison officials cut electricity and water despite food shortages and serious medical conditions among those incarcerated.

Inmates have demanded the release of political detainees held without charges. Many feared a wave of executions that could follow if they were to be transferred to the Sadnaya military prison, north of Damascus.

Sadnaya prison was the scene of protests in 2008 by Islamist detainees that led to several being killed after authorities used live rounds to quell the unrest.

International rights groups say thousands of detainees are held in Syrian government prisons without charge and many of them are tortured to death, which authorities deny.

Human Rights Watch expressed concern late on Friday about the safety of the hostages and said an attempt to retake the facility risked high casualties.

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