Samir Othman al-Sheikh, former Brigadier General and head of Adra Central Prison, oversaw torture, mass arrests, and the violent suppression of peaceful protesters in Deir Ezzor in 2011. Under his command, security forces and the Republican Guard carried out deadly crackdowns that killed demonstrators and detained hundreds, while detainees in Adra Prison faced systematic abuse. After quietly relocating to California, al-Sheikh was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport in late 2024. On March 2, 2026 his trial on charges of torture and crimes against humanity began in Los Angeles. View the full dossier at setf.ngo/cards