Jassem al-Muhammad

Jassem al-Muhammad is a married man with children and a graduate of the Business and Marketing Institute. He was arrested by ISIS in July 2016 on charges of cigarette trading, and spent 11 days in prison in the village of Halawa in the Abu Hamam area of Deir ez-Zor.

Jassem al-Muhammad recounts how ISIS members stormed his house and arrested him in the aftermath of the battles between the Shaitat clan and ISIS. He emphasizes that he did not participate in those battles.

When he stands again at the entrance of the former prison, Jassem recalls spending an entire night in a solitary cell before being moved to a group cell crowded with prisoners. He also talks about the sections of the prison, which consisted of two floors, with the ground floor containing four “pitch-black” solitary cells and two group cells.

The witness states that the prisoners were generally members of the Shaitat clan, along with others accused of cigarette trading. Regarding the guards, he notes that their treatment varied, with some being harsh and others dealing with the prisoners “gently and kindly.”

However, the notoriety of ISIS and its methods of killing civilians left the prisoners in a state of fear, anxiety, and anticipation. They spent their time praying and assisting those injured by torture.

Jassem’s interrogation focused on the cigarette trade, his smuggling methods, and the profits he earned, as well as about wanted fighters from his clan. He says that the interrogators were Moroccans and Tunisians, and some were from the local area too.

Jassem describes the methods of torture he endured, including beatings with sticks and being hung in both the shabh position and the “scorpion” position. In the latter case, the prisoner was suspended from the ceiling by his hands and feet which were bound and pulled behind his back. He notes that throughout the torture, guards repeatedly referred to him as a “merchant of vices.”

The witness also mentions the sounds of torture the prisoners could hear, and recalls how they were forced to watch ISIS videos on a large plasma screen mounted in the group cell. This was a form of psychological torture.

From the group cell where he was previously imprisoned, Jassem al-Muhammad discusses the conditions of detention, noting that hygiene was “relatively acceptable” because the prisoners took care of the cell. However, the bedding and blankets had not been aired or cleaned for a long time, leading to the spread of insects and, consequently, skin diseases among the prisoners. These problems were exacerbated by a lack of medical care.

Jassem adds that the bathroom was separated from the group cell by only a curtain, which deprived the prisoners of privacy. However, water was available, allowing them to wash themselves and to clean the group cell.

According to Jassem, the food was insufficient. He explains that it was seized by ISIS from local shops.

Prisoners were not allowed to receive family visits, especially the Shaitat members who were labeled as “apostates”. In general, they received “more strict and harsh” treatment, according to Jassem.

Regarding his release from prison, Jassem states that the sharia judge imposed a fine of fifty dollars for each box of cigarettes he owned, which required him to pay a total of two hundred dollars. After paying the fine, and after eleven days in prison, he was released.

This experience has had a lasting effect on Jassem. He speaks of suffering from a constant state of panic after his release from prison. At first this led him to adhere to the restrictions imposed by ISIS on residents of the areas under its control. After a while he escaped from Kishkiyya to Hasaka.