US indictment accuses two Syrian officials of torture at notorious prison

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. prosecutors are accusing two senior Syrian officials of overseeing a notorious Syrian torture center that abused peaceful protesters, including a 26-year-old American woman who was later hanged. The indictment was released Monday, two days after a shock rebel offensive overthrew Syrian President Bashar Assad. The U.S., U.N. and others accuse him of widespread human rights abuses in Syria’s 13-year battle to crush opposition forces. The indictment is believed to be the U.S. government’s first against what it says were networks of Assad intelligence services and military branches that detained, tortured and killed thousands of perceived enemies.