Sami: Syria has become just Syria, not Assad’s Syria anymore.
The founder of the Caesar Files, Ussama Uthman (Sami), conducted two extensive interviews with Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper following Bashar al-Assad’s escape to Russia and the collapse of his regime, which had oppressed Syrians for decades.
Sami stated during the interview, conducted in late 2024, just weeks after Assad’s escape, that “Assad did not say ‘I resign,’ or ‘I step down,’ or ‘I will leave the country.’ He simply boarded his plane and left.”
He added that the joy felt by Syrians was fragmented and stretched over several days, mixed with hope, fear, desire, and anticipation. Only when it was finally confirmed that Bashar al-Assad had left Syria forever did relief take shape. He noted that “Syria has become just Syria, a free Syria, and no longer Assad’s Syria.”
During the interview, Sami also spoke about how the Caesar Files began, and how he and his partner, Farid Al-Mudhahan (Caesar), collected photos of torture victims inside the Syrian regime’s security branches since 2011.
He further discussed their escape journey from Syria, the extraordinary dangers they faced, and how they managed to deliver those images to the international community.
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