Mezze prison
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mezze prison (Arabic: سجن مزة) is a now-defunct Syrian prison overlooking the capital, Damascus. Mezze (also transcribed as al-Mazzah, el-Mezze etc) is the name of a neighbourhood in western Damascus.
Both military and political prisoners were held at Mezze prison, as well as ordinary criminals, and it was a famous symbol of Syrian government repression. Widespread human rights abuse and torture has been reported from the Mezze prison, most notably during the rule of Hafez al-Assad (1970-2000).
The structures date back to crusader days, and the French used Mezze to house anti-colonial fighters and political prisoners. However, the prison took on a central importance for Syrian political life only in 1949, after the first Syrian coup d'êtat. Coup leader Husni az-Zaim, then imprisoned his predecessor in Mezze, only to follow three and half months later when he was himself overthrown. Since then, Syrian leaders deposed in the many coups of the country, have almost routinely been sent to Mezze prison, and it has held many of Syria's political prisoners.
Mezze prison was closed on the orders of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in September 2000, and about 600 prisoners released. It has reportedly been converted into an institute for historical science.
