Ragheed al-Tatari is a former Syrian Air Force pilot who became Syria’s longest-held political prisoner after spending 43 years in detention without trial for refusing orders to bomb civilian locations in Hama during a military crackdown. He was finally released after the fall of Assad on December 8, 2024.
In November 2022, I had the profound privilege of walking alongside you in a collective action that carried hope, resilience, and an unshakable demand for justice for all detainees. Together, we walked not just for one man, but for freedom for every soul unjustly silenced behind bars.
Walk for Ragheed, Walk for Freedom was more than a protest; it was a powerful testament to the strength of solidarity, a beacon of hope for those still waiting in the darkness. Today, we are overwhelmed with joy and relief to share the news: Ragheed is free.
To every person who stood, marched, and raised their voice for his freedom – thank you. Ragheed told us that your unwavering support was a guiding light during his detention.
For 43 years, Ragheed was imprisoned not for a crime, but for a choice – a choice to refuse to kill, to reject oppression, to hold on to his humanity. From November 1981 to December 2024, Ragheed Al-Tatari was deprived of his freedom simply because he refused to become a tool of tyranny.
Like any young man of his generation, Ragheed carried dreams, ambitions, and an unshakable love for his country – but the Syrian regime tried to erase them all. Decades were stolen from him, years were lost, but his spirit never broke.
“In my dark isolation, art, painting, and reading became my only refuge. Unlike most detainees, I was allowed art materials in prison, not for my own sake, but to paint pieces that were taken to the Presidential Palace. With every stroke of my brush, I painted the homeland I was torn away from – the mountains, rivers, and kind faces of its people. My body was imprisoned, but my soul remained free”, Ragheed said.
On December 8, 2024, after 61 years of Baathist rule and 53 years of Assad family tyranny, Ragheed finally walked free from Tartous Central Prison. His 43-year journey through Syria’s most notorious prisons – from Mezzeh to Tadmur, Sednaya to Adra, Suwayda to Tartous prisons – has finally come to an end.
“Breathing the air of freedom for the first time in over four decades was overwhelming. It was a moment of joy, of relief, and a sense of reclaiming my life. But freedom was not enough. Justice is nowhere to be found. Instead of truth and accountability, we saw evidence scattered, crime scenes desecrated, and our suffering turned into a spectacle. I have not lost hope, and I never will. My struggle will not end until every missing loved one is found and justice prevails”, he said.
Always know that your actions of solidarity and support bring hope and change. To all who stood by Ragheed and called for his freedom – thank you. To those still fighting for Syria’s detainees, for truth, for justice – never stop. Your voices matter.