Damascus Fair Exhibit Displays Artifacts From Assad-Era Prisons (2026-09-01)
A new exhibit at the Damascus International Fair displays artifacts and a reconstructed cell from Syria's Assad-era prisons, moving visitors to tears.
The 63rd Damascus International Fair is hosting an unusual display this year. While families enjoy the usual attractions — selfies, an aircraft cockpit for children, and stalls of artwork and handicrafts — the Interior Ministry pavilion offers a starkly different experience.
Titled "When the Walls Speak," the exhibit focuses on Syria's prison system under former President Bashar Assad. It features a reconstructed cell built with original items from Military Security Branch 248. Visitors can also see cell doors, clothing worn by detainees, prosthetic limbs, and various restraints collected from prisons and security branches.
A chair is presented as an instrument used for torture. Photographs on display show prison interiors and an aerial view of the notorious Saydnaya prison.
The display has proven emotionally powerful. Several visitors, including relatives of those who were detained, became visibly upset and wept as they moved through the exhibit. The fair is being held at the fairgrounds on the outskirts of the Syrian capital.