At the 63rd Damascus International Fair, held this year inside the Ministry of Interior pavilion, an exhibition titled "When Walls Speak" is drawing attention to the legacy of detention and abuse experienced by Syrians under the former regime. The display includes actual prison artifacts such as cell doors, heavy padlocks, worn clothing, interrogation chairs, and torture devices sourced from notorious security branches like Branch 215 and Branch 244.

The exhibition aims to preserve the memory of detainees and honor their resilience and ingenuity during captivity. Many of the items on display were handmade by prisoners from limited materials, highlighting their efforts to communicate with the outside world and meet basic needs despite harsh conditions.

For visitors, the exhibit serves as a poignant reminder of personal and collective trauma tied to decades of enforced disappearances and systematic mistreatment. Abdul Khalid Idris, a visitor from Al-Qusayr in the Homs countryside, recounted his experience at the fair. He stood before a heavy steel door taken directly from Branch 215 in the Kafr Sousa area of Damascus, a place linked to the death of his father during the Syrian uprising. Idris learned nine months after his father’s arrest that he had died under torture within that facility. The presence of names etched on the door drew Idris in, as he sought any connection to his father’s memory, underscoring the enduring impact of loss and the struggle for truth among families affected.

The emotional weight carried by the artifacts underscores the broader narrative of those who survived detention, as well as the ongoing quest for acknowledgment and remembrance in post-conflict Syria. The exhibition thus functions not only as a historical record but also as a space for grief, reflection, and the pursuit of justice by Syrian citizens, many of whom are younger generations who have come of age after these events.

Organizers and visitors alike see "When Walls Speak" as a significant effort to confront a difficult past and ensure that the stories of those detained—and the conditions they endured—remain present in public consciousness. The display further reflects ongoing tensions around issues of accountability and reconciliation in the country’s complex post-revolutionary landscape.