Link: https://iwpr.net/global-voices/syria-female-prisoners-speak-out
In the state of Syria, there is an amount of discrimination against female prisoners both outside and inside the prison. Former detainee Rana Al-Agha was arrested during an ambush arranged by a state security agent. She described how during her imprisonment, she was psychologically tortured and pressured by having to view officers torture people right in front of her. However, for Al-Agha, her husband stood by her and supported her every step of the way. But some people aren’t as lucky. Mariam was arrested in September of 2012 for helping injured civilians and was held for almost a month. After her release, her husband ended up divorcing her and her family abandoned her. For many female prisoners in Syria, they are beaten, humiliated, and degraded by the officers. But as a miracle in April of 2020 in a landmark trial in Germany, two former senior Syrian intelligence officers were charged with crimes against humanity. This marked the first time that Syrian state agents have been prosecuted for torture and crimes. This was made possible because German law recognizes universal jurisdiction.
Because Syria is a war torn state, it is reasonable that their prisons would become worse and worse over time. For many women across the world in all different kinds of countries, being inside of a prison can be torture enough. In the United States, while women in their prisons are tortured or beaten, they still have a hard time with things like mental health and monthly menstruation. However women in third world countries have it much rougher than women in first world countries. For starters, many are held in unhealthy and unsafe locations and are treated worse than men. While prisons are meant to hold criminals, it shouldn’t necessarily be a place that can cause more harm to them.
Because of the growing cause of equality for all, prisons are no exceptions. In the United States, there are some politicians who are even trying to redo the prison system and try to better them for the people who are held inside them. Because Syria is in the middle of a war, there is little worry for the prison system and multiple innocent people are being held in there. There has to be some sort of organization that can help people who come out of prisons in Syria and even for some who are being held in there right now.