This Image of a Prisoner Allegedly Found in Assad's Saydnaya Prison Is AI-Generated
The Claim
The photo of a prisoner in an isolated cell Syria Sednaya before being freed by revolutionists.
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Emerging story
Following the fall of the al-Assad regime, social media users widely circulated an image claiming to show a shocked prisoner from Saydnaya prison after opposition forces freed him from an underground cell.
An X user shared the image, commenting, “The amount of fear and bewilderment in this poor man's face is overwhelming after releasing him from the underground prison Saydanya in Syria.”
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the viral image and found it to be fake.
Misbar’s investigation found the image to be taken from AI-generated footage.
The Image Shows an AI-Generated Scene
Misbar found that the image was captured from a TikTok video featuring an AI-generated scene.
The video, uploaded by a TikTok user named “@sanzaruu,” appeared online a few days before opposition factions toppled the Syrian regime.
The caption clearly stated that the creator used AI software to make the video and labeled it as “AI-generated.”
The creator also published similar scenes to the viral video, depicting a person emerging from a hole in the ground while holding strange creatures.
The creator's bio also states that they create all content on the page using artificial intelligence programs.
Syrian Families Search Assad’s Notorious Saydnaya Prison
After opposition factions toppled the Syrian regime, reports emerged urging rescue teams to search Saydnaya prison for detainees allegedly held in “hidden underground cells.” Families also rushed to the facility, hoping to find their loved ones.
The prison is notorious for its brutal conditions, with human rights groups accusing Assad of overseeing a system of torture, abuse, and killings to maintain control.
The White Helmets rescue organization said they deployed five specialized emergency teams to search for hidden prison cells, following survivor accounts.
These teams include search and rescue units, wall-breaching specialists, iron door-opening crews, trained dog units, and medical responders.
By early Monday, the White Helmets reported that there was “no evidence confirming the presence of detainees in the basements or cellars of the prison,” though search efforts continue.
Syrians Celebrate Fall of Assad Regime
The people of Syria celebrated the fall of Bashar al-Assad, after five decades of dynastic rule ended unexpectedly with the president fleeing to Moscow.
On Sunday, crowds waved the Syrian revolutionary flag and tore down statues and portraits of Assad and his father, Hafez. Celebratory gunfire and car horns echoed through Damascus as opposition fighters advanced to the capital.
Russia confirmed that Assad fled in a private plane, and his regime collapsed. Russian state news agencies reported that Moscow granted Assad and his family asylum on “humanitarian grounds.”
According to The Guardian, the Syrian war claimed at least 300,000 lives and caused 100,000 people to disappear since 2011. It also displaced half of the country, around 12 million people, with approximately 5.4 million seeking refuge abroad.
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