Lebanese man returns to his hometown after 33 years in Syria regime prisons

After spending 33 years in the prisons of Syria’s Assad regime, Lebanese national Salim Hamawi has returned to his hometown of Chekka in the Batroun district of Lebanon’s North Governorate, Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported.

This event has sparked hope for the return of other missing persons and detainees, the London-based newspaper added.

Hamawi was welcomed by a large crowd, who were joined by Parish Priest Father Ibrahim Chahine and Member of Parliament Adib Abdel Massih.

The National News Agency reported: “Chekka received its freed son, Salim Hamawi, who returned to his homeland after over 33 years of detention in Syrian prisons.”

“Hamawi was greeted by a large crowd in a joyful atmosphere marking his long-awaited return. He expressed his happiness at being reunited with his family, thanking God for giving him this opportunity to return to his homeland and loved ones.”

Hamawi is one of the first detainees to return to Lebanon, a move that has raised hopes for the release of hundreds of other missing persons and detainees.

For its part, the Lebanese caretaker government decided to keep the issue of detainees in Syrian prisons under follow-up with the prime minister and the minister of justice, who will continue his meetings in the coming days with members of the Missing Persons Commission in Syrian prisons.

Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad fled the country on Sunday after rebel fighters reached Damascus just ten days after they took control of the strategic northern city of Aleppo. Russia confirmed that Al-Assad had been given refuge in Moscow “on humanitarian grounds”.

The opposition groups began freeing those detained in the regime’s prisons, however many have not been reached as they are in “underground cities” to which no one has been able to gain access.

READ: Stories emerge of ‘underground torture city’ at Sednaya Prison in Damascus