Searching for Syria’s Disappeared

Taher al-Zain has come to this hospital in the Syrian capital in search of his father, Mohamed. The lawyer and father of five disappeared 12 years ago and is one of tens of thousands of Syrians who went missing during the country’s civil war. Thousands of political prisoners have been set free across Syria since the regime of President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown on Dec. 8. Ahmed Abu Seif was one of them. As bodies of those who died in prison are recovered, they’re taken to hospitals around the country. Taher inspects photos of the deceased on the wall, looking for a sign of his father. Among the crowd are supporters of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the rebel group that is now in control of much of the country. Taher’s final stop is the infamous Sednaya prison on the outskirts of Damascus. Thousands of people are believed to have been executed and tortured here over the years. Taher and others have come every day to search for evidence of their missing loved ones in the scraps of prison documents the former government left behind. As Syria enters a new and uncertain phase, the families of the disappeared feel trapped in the past. Without answers, they continue to look for their loved ones and for closure.