In front of Al-Salam Mosque in Damascus's Barzeh district, dozens of families gather on Dec. 10, united by the same tragedy — a loved one disappeared in Syria’s prisons — and the same hope of finding them. (Photo: Mohammad Yassin)
People from various towns in the Damascus countryside, and even from more distant regions like Hama, traveled to Sednaya prison on Monday, but without success. They were then directed to this mosque, which has been converted into a registration center for the searches. (Photo: Mohammad Yassin)
Families hold photos of their detained loved ones, hoping to find any shred of information about them. (Photo: Mohammad Yassin)
Inside the mosque, names, contact details, and any other information that could help families learn what happened to their loved ones are recorded. (Photo: Mohammad Yassin)
Meanwhile, on Dec. 10, dozens of families were still making their way to the infamous Sednaya prison. (Photo Mohammad Yassin)
In this prison, dubbed the "human slaughterhouse" by Amnesty International, thousands of men and women were held in inhumane conditions. The vast majority endured brutal torture, and thousands have died as a result of the prison's dire conditions, while others have been executed. (Photo: Mohammad Yassin)
Families continue to hope for the chance to find a loved one who has survived the brutality of Sednaya. (Photo: Mohammad Yassin)
"The Syrian people cannot be humiliated. The revolution of freedom and dignity has triumphed," reads the wall. (Photo: Mohammad Yassin)
As rumors spread of basement cells, many family members searched everywhere, digging and breaking walls, hoping to find someone. (Photo: Mohammad Yassin)
On Tuesday, Dec. 10, however, the Syrian White Helmets rescue workers announced the conclusion of search operations at Sednaya prison, where they had suspected the existence of underground dungeons, but did not find any detainees. "The White Helmets announce the conclusion of search operations ... without having found any secret or hidden places," the organization said in a statement. (Photo: Mohammad Yassin)
But some can't bring themselves to give up the search. (Photo: Mohammad Yassin)
Relatives also examine all documents in the death registry, hoping to find the name of a loved one and any indication of their fate. (Photo: Mohammad Yassin)
The search is ongoing (Photo: Mohammad Yassin)
For many, the search ends in the morgue of Moujtahed Hospital in Damascus. (Photo: Mohammad Yassin)
Dozens of bodies were transferred from Sednaya to the hospital. Some had been dead for a year, others for 10 days and some less. (Photo: Mohammad Yassin)
In this morgue, families reach the end of their hellish nightmare. (Photo: Mohammad Yassin)
The frantic search continues for many families. (Photo: Mohammad Yassin)
Photos of the recovered bodies are displayed on an exterior wall of the hospital to help families identify the victims. (Photo: Mohammad Yassin)
For many, all that's left is despair. (Photo: Mohammad Yassin)