The main accusation against many of the women was having an image on a mobile phone, or having personal bags, computers or personal identities that were free from the oppression of the Assad regime.
Mobile phones were important participants in the Syrian Revolution from the beginning.
They were used to film demonstrations and Assad forces firing on peaceful demonstrators. They provided the world with photos of martyrs who died in the demonstrations, photos that depicted suffering and the effects of torture and of destroyed homes.Recording them resulted in being detained even if they were taken out of sympathy or personal calamity.
"There were many detainees being held because of an image or a song in a mobile.Women were targeted more often. Among them was Huda, who migrated from Homs to Damascus. She was forced by necessity to go to a church in Bab Touma to obtain her share of food aid being distributed by the church. It was the first time she had walked in the streets of Old Damascus and she wanted to take a picture to send it to her daughter. But the moment she pulled her mobile out of her purse and was about to take a photo, she suddenly found herself surrounded by many Assad detectives who snatched her mobile from her hand and asked her identity."
The narrator said that the identity of Huda caused a devastating earthquake when they realized she was from a revolutionary area that for them was reason enough to be arrested or killed. Huda was from the Bab Al-Sibaaarea of Homs and Assad detectives told her in a loud voice:"Oh criminal you are from the door of dogs… oh terrorist."
Huda tried to explain to them her story, that she was not related to the revolution and was just an immigrated displaced woman. She was escorted to the Security Branch and was immediately subjected to investigation and torture. The final accusation for her was cooperation with terrorists and photographing military sites in order to send images to armed gangs so they could be targeted.
Al Majli told another story of the suffering of Nawal who was also displaced from Homs and residing in one of the schools in Damascus with many other displaced families.She was holding her mobile when all of a sudden the school security began an inspection. Without hesitation or fear Nawal handed her mobile to the security officer who suddenly became agitated and started shouting "Stop in your place and don’t move” ---then everything changed.
He contacted the chief of security through a mobile radio and within seconds officers arrived and tied her hands and brutally assaulted her in front of her husband, her two children and all the displaced people living in that school then took her to the Security Branch.
Detectives there began a session of torturing that included beatings and uttering taboo, dirty and insulting words as well as threats of rape by investigators if she refused to say the names of the armed gang member who had sent her an sms and his location.
“Admit now, who sent you this sms…Where is he? What is his name? Admit about all the terrorists whom you are dealing with,” they demanded.
Nawal didn’t know anything about the sms that said "I am going to blast that check point, pray for me.” Although she swore that she knew nothing about the sms or who the sender was and told them that she had never attended school and was illiterate and could not read or write she was unable to escape and was sentenced to six months in Adra prison as a result of the security branch investigation which had turned into a court of terrorism.
Al Majli said there are many similar stories of women accused of violations because of a photo, sms or a phrase or song related to the revolution in one way or another.Some of which were cause for laughter despite the pain.Such as the story of a woman who was detained at an Assad check point when they found a video she had recorded of her granddaughter singing in her child’s voice some of the slogans of the revolution she had heard.
Another story told of a woman who went to her own demolished house in Harasta and took a picture of it.She faced all types of torture as a result of that photo and in the end was forced to confess that she was taking the photos and sending them to foreign media, TV stations and news websites that were opposed to Assad.
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