Former Syrian Official Charged with Torture

Samir Ousman Al-Sheikh, a former Syrian official who oversaw the notorious Adra Prison from 2005 to 2008, has been charged by a federal grand jury in the U.S. with torture and conspiracy to commit torture. The charges stem from allegations that Al-Sheikh ordered severe physical and mental abuse of prisoners, some of whom were reportedly beaten while suspended from the ceiling. He was arrested in July on visa fraud charges after allegedly lying about his past actions when applying for U.S. residency. Following his indictment, he faces decades in prison if convicted. Al-Sheikh's detention comes amid broader scrutiny of human rights abuses by Syrian officials, with additional charges filed against others for war crimes related to the Syrian civil war. His attorney has described the allegations as politically motivated, asserting that the case misuses government resources to prosecute a foreign national for alleged crimes committed abroad.