A former Syrian prison official, Samir Ousman Alsheikh, has been convicted in a U.S. federal court on torture and immigration fraud charges. Alsheikh, who headed Damascus Central Prison, was found guilty after a nine-day trial. Prosecutors alleged that Alsheikh, under the Assad regime, personally committed and ordered tortures between 2005 and 2008, including beatings and the use of the 'Magic Carpet.' Upon entering the U.S. in 2020, he lied about his past on his visa application. He was arrested in 2024 at Los Angeles International Airport.
Alsheikh, 73, faces up to 20 years in prison per torture-related charge. The case highlights international efforts to hold former regime officials accountable for human rights abuses.