The Sound of Silence: How Audio Testimony Unveils the Horrors of Sednaya Prison
In 2016, Lawrence Abu Hamdan, an artist and audio investigator, embarked on a groundbreaking project to document the atrocities committed within Sednaya, Syria’s infamous prison. Collaborating with Forensic Architecture and Amnesty International, Abu Hamdan interviewed survivors who had endured unspeakable horrors within the prison’s walls.
Silence as a Weapon
Sednaya was characterized by brutal sensory deprivation. Prisoners were kept in perpetual darkness, blindfolded and forced to remain silent. Speaking, coughing, or even moving audibly risked death. This enforced silence became a weapon of torture, crushing the prisoners’ spirits and creating an atmosphere of pervasive fear.
Abu Hamdan’s investigation focused on using "earwitness" testimonies, capturing the survivors’ sonic memories of the prison. Through tones, white noise, and re-enacted whispers, he aimed to measure the immense pressure of silence and the violence it represented.
"Jamal," one survivor, described a chilling detail: "The only thing to puncture the silence was the beatings that would vibrate the walls and reverberate throughout the empty water pipes in the cells," he explained. "It doesn’t sound as if someone is hitting a body," Jamal continued, "but like someone is demolishing a wall."
Sound as a Tool of Resistance
Despite the horrors they endured, many survivors of Sednaya wanted the prison preserved. They saw its walls as repositories of memory, a testament to their resilience and a reminder of the atrocities committed within.
Abu Hamdan’s work highlights how sound, in its capacity to evoke both terror and resilience, becomes a powerful tool for understanding and combating injustice.
By listening to the survivors’ sonic memories, we can begin to comprehend the chilling reality of Sednaya prison.
Samer, another survivor, recalled a seemingly mundane sound: "the joyous sound of bread slapping on the floor outside the cell doors," a noise that signified the possibility of survival. He wished to preserve this sound, to hear it again, reminding us that even in the darkest places, hope and resilience can endure.
Preserve the Memory, Fight for Justice
Sednaya stands as a stark reminder of the human cost of war and oppression. Abu Hamdan’s work challenges us to confront the atrocities of the past and inspires us to advocate for a future where such horrors never happen again.
Let us learn from Sednaya’s silence. Let us amplify the voices of survivors. Let us fight for justice and truth.
