Published : 08-02-2025
Action Group | Syria
Many Palestinian refugees in Syria have reacted to the revelation of the true identity of the person known as Caesar, describing him as a “real hero,” after Al Jazeera published a special report revealing new details about his role in documenting the crimes of the Syrian regime. Caesar is known for the US sanctions law that bears his name, which targeted the Syrian regime during the rule of Bashar al-Assad.
Stories of Suffering and Praise for Caesar’s Courage
Palestinian refugees have expressed their gratitude to Al-Mazhan, who managed to leak thousands of photos documenting the systematic killings of detainees in Syrian prisons. Some confirmed that the photos included members of their families, revealing the brutal crimes detainees were subjected to at the hands of the regime.
Al-Mazhan, who held the position of First Assistant to the Head of the Forensic Evidence Department of the Military Police in Damascus, explained that his decision to defect came after he realized the extent of the crimes committed. Speaking on The Story Continues program, he confirmed that he had secretly worked to document and smuggle the photos for three years, despite the great risks to his life.
Organized Crimes and Horrific Testimonies
Al-Mazhan reported that the documentation of crimes was carried out under direct orders from the regime leadership to ensure the execution of the killings. He noted that the filming began in March 2011, when the bodies of demonstrators from Daraa were documented in the morgue of Tishreen Military Hospital.
He revealed horrific details about the killings, stating that detainees were given numbers that were later placed on their bodies. The bodies were collected and photographed in hospitals such as Tishreen Military Hospital and Harasta, before the garage of Al-Mezzeh Hospital was transformed into a yard for collecting bodies as the number of victims increased.
He pointed out that the regime falsified the causes of death as “cardiac and respiratory arrest,” while the truth indicated systematic killings. He also exposed extortion operations in which detainees’ families paid huge sums of money without obtaining any information about their loved ones.
Smuggling Evidence and Personal Suffering
The process of smuggling the photos lasted for three years, as Al-Mazhan secretly transferred them from his workplace in Damascus to his home in the city of Al-Tal, using innovative camouflage methods, such as hiding them inside his clothes or a loaf of bread.
He succeeded in doing so thanks to his possession of one military and another fake civilian identity card.
Call for Justice and Accountability
Al-Mazhan expressed his hope that a new Syrian government would be able to achieve justice by opening national courts to hold perpetrators of war crimes accountable.
He called for lifting US sanctions imposed under the Caesar Act, stressing that the Syrian people are the most affected by these sanctions.
Palestinian Victims Among Documented Crimes
The photos leaked by Caesar revealed that more than 77 Palestinians from Syria were among the victims of torture, as their families recognized their photos among the leaked evidence.
The story of Caesar remains a living witness to the crimes committed in Syria—a lesson in courage and sacrifice to achieve justice and reveal the truth to the world.
Action Group | Syria
Many Palestinian refugees in Syria have reacted to the revelation of the true identity of the person known as Caesar, describing him as a “real hero,” after Al Jazeera published a special report revealing new details about his role in documenting the crimes of the Syrian regime. Caesar is known for the US sanctions law that bears his name, which targeted the Syrian regime during the rule of Bashar al-Assad.
Stories of Suffering and Praise for Caesar’s Courage
Palestinian refugees have expressed their gratitude to Al-Mazhan, who managed to leak thousands of photos documenting the systematic killings of detainees in Syrian prisons. Some confirmed that the photos included members of their families, revealing the brutal crimes detainees were subjected to at the hands of the regime.
Al-Mazhan, who held the position of First Assistant to the Head of the Forensic Evidence Department of the Military Police in Damascus, explained that his decision to defect came after he realized the extent of the crimes committed. Speaking on The Story Continues program, he confirmed that he had secretly worked to document and smuggle the photos for three years, despite the great risks to his life.
Organized Crimes and Horrific Testimonies
Al-Mazhan reported that the documentation of crimes was carried out under direct orders from the regime leadership to ensure the execution of the killings. He noted that the filming began in March 2011, when the bodies of demonstrators from Daraa were documented in the morgue of Tishreen Military Hospital.
He revealed horrific details about the killings, stating that detainees were given numbers that were later placed on their bodies. The bodies were collected and photographed in hospitals such as Tishreen Military Hospital and Harasta, before the garage of Al-Mezzeh Hospital was transformed into a yard for collecting bodies as the number of victims increased.
He pointed out that the regime falsified the causes of death as “cardiac and respiratory arrest,” while the truth indicated systematic killings. He also exposed extortion operations in which detainees’ families paid huge sums of money without obtaining any information about their loved ones.
Smuggling Evidence and Personal Suffering
The process of smuggling the photos lasted for three years, as Al-Mazhan secretly transferred them from his workplace in Damascus to his home in the city of Al-Tal, using innovative camouflage methods, such as hiding them inside his clothes or a loaf of bread.
He succeeded in doing so thanks to his possession of one military and another fake civilian identity card.
Call for Justice and Accountability
Al-Mazhan expressed his hope that a new Syrian government would be able to achieve justice by opening national courts to hold perpetrators of war crimes accountable.
He called for lifting US sanctions imposed under the Caesar Act, stressing that the Syrian people are the most affected by these sanctions.
Palestinian Victims Among Documented Crimes
The photos leaked by Caesar revealed that more than 77 Palestinians from Syria were among the victims of torture, as their families recognized their photos among the leaked evidence.
The story of Caesar remains a living witness to the crimes committed in Syria—a lesson in courage and sacrifice to achieve justice and reveal the truth to the world.
