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Syrians Detail Government 'Torture Centres'

Syrian intelligence agencies are accused of running "an archipelago of torture centres" in a bid to crush the uprising against President Bashar al Assad's regime.

On previous occasions when accused of torture by Amnesty International and the UN, the Syrian government denied the charge and said it had numerous examples of captured soldiers and government supporters being tortured by opposition forces.

The new accusations, in an 81-page report compiled by Human Rights Watch (HRW), are based on 200 interviews with alleged victims and defectors.

HRW says what it calls "systematic patterns of abuse point to a state policy of torture and ill-treatment constituting a crime against humanity".

The human rights group identified 27 detention facilities run by various Syrian intelligence agencies, including the Department of Military Intelligence and the Air Force Intelligence Directorate.

The report includes maps, video accounts and sketches of torture techniques described by those making the allegations.

HRW worker Ole Solvang said: "The intelligence agencies are running an archipelago of torture centres scattered across the country."

Almost all those interviewed said they had been tortured or witnessed the torture of others.

A range of measures were described, including prolonged beatings, often with objects, painful stress positions for prolonged periods, the use of electricity, burning with acid, sexual assault and humiliation, the pulling of fingernails, and mock execution.

One alleged victim detailed methods he said were used on him in the northern province of Idlib.

"They forced me to undress," he said.

"Then they started squeezing my fingers with pliers.

"They put staples in my fingers, chest and ears. I was only allowed to take them out if I spoke.

"They used two wires hooked up to a car battery to give me electric shocks."

Syria is not a signatory to the Rome Statute which created the International Criminal Court (ICC).

This means the ICC does not have jurisdiction unless the UN Security Council adopts a resolution referring Syria to the court.

Such a move is unlikely as Russia and China would probably block the resolution.

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