Fadi Muhammad al-Nasser

In 2015, Fadi Muhammad al-Nasser was a 15-year-old working in a fast-food restaurant when he and his family were arrested by ISIS. He, his brother, uncle, and two cousins were all accused of collaborating with the Global Coalition and were brought to the Stadium Prison.

In his testimony, Fadi says that the first room they entered was the safety deposit room. One ISIS member was sitting behind a desk. He recorded the prisoners’ personal information and handed them prison uniforms to wear. The uniform consisted of a black suit with a gray belt, known as the “Chechen Suit.”

In the internal corridor, Fadi identifies where he and his family were forced to stand for two days as they waited to be interrogated. At the time, they did not know why they had been detained. ISIS jailers did not allow them to sit or eat; they were only allowed to drink water and use the toilet. 

Inside the investigation room, Fadi recounts how ISIS interrogators tried to lure him into incriminating his brothers. They did not take his age into consideration. When he told them he was hungry, they beat him with a green hose known as “Lakhdar Brahimi” (This was named after the former Algerian diplomat sent by the UN to Syria. His first name – Lakhdar – means “green.”) As an example of the psychological torture ISIS jailers inflicted on him, Fadi also narrates how they once dressed him in an orange execution suit. This was done simply to terrify him. 

In the torture room, Fadi recalls what he experienced as a 15-year-old boy. He points to the loop by which he was suspended from a hoist. He also explains that, while he was flogged with the “Lakhdar Brahimi” hose, others were forced into a tire. Their cries often filled the prison. “I came out of here almost dead,” Fadi laments. “I couldn’t even walk.”

Although Fadi did not physically see any of the jailers, he could identify that they were Syrian through their dialects. They also had accents that suggested they were from Aleppo and Damascus. He found out that the prison governor was a Saudi national. 

In the solitary cell, Fadi recounts how he spent his 35-day sentence. He slept sitting up due to the limited space. He points to the part of the wall behind the cell door where he carved his name and kept a tally of each passing day. He describes how his emotions fluctuated between hopes of release and dreadful despair.

Fadi mentions a conversation he had with a young man in the neighboring solitary cell. The man passed Fadi his address and a message to his family, telling him it was his last night there as he had been sentenced to death.

Fadi recalls the cries of those who were being tortured, including women and even very young children. The sound was loud enough to deprive the other prisoners of sleep.

In a large group cell, which once housed around 25 prisoners, Fadi lists the charges brought against each of the inmates. He narrates how three inmates managed to escape, and how the ISIS guards reacted. He also says that inmates were often cautious about speaking to one another in case ISIS informants were among them.  

Fadi points to the bathroom, saying that water and cleaning products were available, which meant the standard of hygiene was reasonable. He adds that he did not know of there being any skin diseases or infestations of lice.

Regarding food, Fadi states that they received three meals a day, including jam and halva. As for medical care, he says it was provided at the minimum level.

Finally, Fadi details how he was released. When the charges brought against him could not be proven, ISIS jailers came to the group cell one night and blindfolded him and some others before taking them to the safety deposit room. Here, ISIS handed them back their belongings and civilian clothes, then took them by car to Naim Square, where they released them.

Fadi’s painful memories are not limited to his own experiences of detention. His brother was detained and executed in the Stadium Prison. The terror and anguish he endured in the prison also deprived him of his ability to speak, leaving him with a stammer. Fadi says that now he cannot even stand the name of the place. He avoids passing by the stadium.