Middle East

EXCLUSIVE - ‘Would do it all over again’: Caesar Files whistleblower speaks out on fall of Syria’s Assad regime

Osama Othman, known for years by his alias Sami, speaks to Anadolu about the Caesar Files, a trove of crucial documents that exposed the Assad regime's atrocities in Syria

Mohammad Sio and Muhammed Enes Calli  | 04.02.2025 - Update : 07.02.2025
EXCLUSIVE - ‘Would do it all over again’: Caesar Files whistleblower speaks out on fall of Syria’s Assad regime

ISTANBUL

As the Assad regime crumbled, so too did the wall of fear that had long silenced the voices of those who suffered under its rule.

With its downfall, the horrific crimes committed over the past decades are finally coming to light. For the first time, individuals who were forced to remain anonymous or live in hiding are revealing their identities, telling their stories, and exposing the brutal realities of the Syrian conflict.

One of the most pivotal figures in this effort is Osama Othman, better known by his alias Sami. He played a crucial role in exposing the Assad regime’s war crimes, risking everything to ensure the world bore witness to the atrocities committed in Syrian prisons.

Sami’s work is closely tied to that of Caesar, the whistleblower behind the crucial Caesar Files – a collection of thousands of harrowing photographs documenting the torture and abuse of detainees following the 2011 uprising.

These images, smuggled out of Syria at great personal risk, became the foundation for the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019, a set of US sanctions targeting the regime’s key financial and military backers.

In 2014, Anadolu published these photographs, sparking global outrage and putting the Assad regime under intense international scrutiny. The shocking images provided undeniable proof of the regime’s systematic use of torture, starvation, and extrajudicial killings against prisoners. The world could no longer look away.

The courage of Sami and Caesar in bringing these crimes to light not only shaped Western public opinion on the Syrian civil war but also contributed to the mounting pressure against Assad’s government.

The Caesar sanctions imposed by the US dealt a significant blow to Syria’s already struggling economy, isolating the regime further and limiting its ability to fund its war efforts.

By December 2024, the economic collapse played a major role in the fall of the Assad regime. Looking back, it is clear that the work of Sami and Caesar was monumental, setting off a chain reaction that ultimately weakened the dictatorship beyond repair.

In an exclusive interview with Anadolu, Osama Othman shares his extraordinary journey – how the Caesar Files were smuggled out of Syria, the impact they had on the international stage, and the way in which they contributed to the downfall of Assad:

​​​​​​​Anadolu: How did you first meet Caesar and what led you both to collaborate on such a dangerous endeavor?

Osama Othman: I knew Caesar before the revolution erupted. My friendship with him spanned nearly 15 years ... When undertaking work of this scale and danger, you must have absolute trust in those you collaborate with. Our trust had been established over 15 years. At the time, we decided to do this work to document the crimes of this regime.

Initially, Caesar did not want to be part of the criminal institution managed by the Syrian regime. His choices were limited: either defecting, which would endanger his life and his family’s lives, or continuing to work for the regime, which he absolutely did not want to do.

Our third option was for him to stay for a limited period so we could gather as much evidence as possible and expose the regime’s brutality, while also building an archive that could reveal the fate of our missing sons and loved ones who had disappeared in Assad’s prisons.

(…) Before the revolution, I worked in civil engineering and building construction. When I began working on this file after obtaining the first images that exposed the horrors of torture faced by detainees in Assad’s prisons, Caesar and I decided to collect these images and later smuggle them out of the country.

Initially, the idea was not about smuggling the images but about gathering them so that families would know where their loved ones ended up after the regime’s fall. At first, we believed the regime might collapse within a few months, like in other Arab countries, but events took a different turn.

Anadolu: Can you describe the process of obtaining the images?

Osama Othman: When I agreed with Caesar to compile … these images … our main goal was to gather them. The fact that Caesar lived in the same city as I did helped significantly. This allowed me to see him almost daily when he returned from work in regime-controlled areas … I would then extract and store the data, and he would repeat this process every day whenever he had the opportunity to return from the regime’s institutions … to our city.

At one point, our city, Al-Tall in the Damascus countryside, came under the control of the Free Syrian Army. It was liberated from regime forces, meaning Caesar had to travel daily from a Free Syrian Army-controlled area to regime-controlled areas, a journey fraught with danger.

Anadolu: What were the most horrifying things you saw or uncovered?

Osama Othman: When you look at these images – around 27,000 photographs of nearly 7,000 victims – you cannot say one is more horrifying than another. The world may have only begun realizing the regime’s brutality over the past two months, following Bashar Assad’s escape … When you are collecting these images while still in an area the regime could invade at any moment, you realize that such horrors could befall your own family. I would look at my children and think that, one day, God forbid, the regime’s criminals might enter my home and do the same to my family.

Anadolu: What were the major challenges and dangers you faced after the release of the images?

Osama Othman: After we left the country at the end of 2013, some of the images was leaked in January 2014 following our visit to Qatar.

The Qatari government provided us with legal support to verify the authenticity of the images. When these images were leaked to the media, we found ourselves in grave danger.

The leaked information about Caesar and Sami – I took the name Sami in Qatar, while he adopted the name Caesar – could easily have allowed the regime to identify us.

This regime was brutal enough to seek revenge on second- and third-degree relatives, and we had many brothers and nephews still inside the country. We struggled immensely to get them out. I can say that Osama, as a person, died forever during that period. Sami was born. Sami is the one who now carries this burden alongside Caesar and the rest of the team. We are not just two individuals undertaking this mission.

There are still team members working on files even more dangerous than the Caesar Files, and they do not want their names revealed.

I can say that from January 2014 onward, Sami was born, while Osama faded away. This new identity affected even my family life – there is constant fear and anxiety.

Anadolu: At what point did you decide to reveal your identity?

Osama Othman: I revealed my identity about two days after Bashar Assad fled. This was necessary for several reasons. You may have noticed that many organizations claim to represent the Caesar Files and operate under that banner.

However, for years, people inside Syria didn’t know the real Caesar team. Due to security concerns, we had to remain in the shadows, occasionally putting forward spokespersons to speak on our behalf.

But this approach wasn’t always effective. It became essential for us to transition to open work and direct engagement. As I mentioned, our work is not limited to the Caesar Files – they constitute only about 5% of our efforts.

Anadolu: In your opinion, how did your work impact the course of the Syrian crisis and the international community’s view of the Assad regime?

Osama Othman: I can confidently say that these images were crucial, as they proved the regime’s role in the deaths of many victims under torture.

It was verified through the Qatari government’s efforts in January 2014, after which we handed copies of the file to French and German authorities. The German Ministry of Justice confirmed the authenticity of the images beyond doubt.

Our testimonies before the French and German courts, along with the submitted reports and evidence, became the legal foundation for prosecuting Syrian regime criminals worldwide ... These images, along with the efforts of human rights organizations and Syrian advocacy groups in the US, played a major role in preventing Assad’s rehabilitation and paved the way for his downfall in early December 2024.

Anadolu: Looking back, do you believe the risks you took were worth it?

Osama Othman: If I could go back to 2011, I would do it all over again, perhaps even more. Removing this criminal (Assad) and working to dismantle all remnants of his regime, both overt and covert, is absolutely worth the risks. My life is no more valuable than the lives of those who perished under torture.

Anadolu: What are your thoughts on Syria’s future?

Osama Othman: (…) From our standpoint, our primary concern is achieving justice in Syria and building a strong society. We want Syrian society to be resilient, rather than having a powerful state with a weak population ... The politicians leading the country today may be trustworthy and competent, but who can guarantee they won’t change over time?

(...) We don’t want people’s access to basic needs like bread to be tied to political shifts. Society must have the tools for its strength and sustenance. This is the perspective from which our team operates through its legal work, which began 10 years ago and continues today.

*The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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