ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - An art exhibition at the National Museum in Damascus is shedding light on thousands of missing Syrians, giving space to grieving families to share their stories and demand answers.
“Many of them feel abandoned and isolated today, and the message we want to deliver through the exhibition is: You are not alone. We hear you and we will remain with you until your demands are met,” Rania al-Najdi, one of the exhibition organizers, told Rudaw on Thursday.
She said that a dialogue session was held during the exhibition, offering space for families of the disappeared and victims of Syria’s detention system to speak publicly about their suffering.
The three-day exhibition is titled “For Those Who Were Not Remembered... But Will Not Be Forgotten.”
Under the rule of ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian people endured years of brutal repression, mass detentions, torture, and widespread displacement. In late 2024, rebels led by the Islamist group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) overthrew Assad’s regime and established a transitional government. It is estimated that more than 100,000 people were forcibly disappeared under the Assad regime.
"I searched everywhere to find out what happened to my son. I visited hospitals, prisons, and security centers… but it was no use. I was told he was a deserter, but no trace of him has been found,” Iman Mahmoud recounted her long and painful search for her missing son. “Even the lawyer I hired couldn't find a single piece of information.”
Nour al-Masry has lost contact with three of her sons. “I don't know anything about my sons. I was told that two of them died, and the fate of the third remains unknown. All I want now is their remains... I want to visit their graves… I don't ask for anything except to know where they lie,” she said.
In a symbolic gesture, a long piece of paper stretched down a wall in the exhibition listing the names of around 2,500 missing persons. Families added more names during the exhibition, a step organizers say was intended to preserve the memory of those forcibly disappeared and keep them present in Syria’s collective consciousness.
According to United Nations estimates, the fate of tens of thousands of people in Syria remains unknown - one of the largest unresolved humanitarian crises stemming from the country’s 13-year civil war.
Amnesty International on Thursday highlighted the critical lack of support for survivors of Syria’s detention centers and torture facilities, many of whom continue to suffer from severe physical and psychological conditions. The rights group urged donor governments to urgently reinstate funding for survivor-led organizations and rehabilitation programs.
Syria’s interim government has pledged a series of reforms, including a formal ban on torture and the establishment of a transitional justice commission to address past abuses.
Solin Mohammedamin contributed to this report.
