Syrian Plans for Private Jet Hub at Mezzeh Airport Spark Human Rights Concerns

The Syrian government plans to convert the Mezzeh military airport in Damascus into a hub for private and executive aviation. According to Syria's state news agency, SANA, the civil aviation authority is reclassifying the site for limited civilian use to complement Damascus International Airport, and infrastructure upgrades and rubble removal have already begun. This move has sparked outcry from residents and rights groups who warn that redevelopment could destroy evidence of atrocities and disturb suspected mass graves.

Under the rule of Bashar al-Assad and his father Hafez, Mezzeh housed detention facilities and branches of the Air Force Intelligence Directorate where opponents were tortured and executed. Documents obtained by the Syria Justice and Accountability Centre (SJAC) indicate that senior military officials approved the site for executions in 2012, specifically utilizing a hangar beside the runway. A 2025 investigation by SJAC identified two suspected grave sites where more than 1,150 detainees may have died. SJAC has urged the National Commission for Missing Persons to halt construction until these sites are investigated, noting that previous assurances that no refurbishment was planned were contradicted by the current redevelopment.

Beyond the human rights concerns, residents have raised issues regarding private land claims that were clouded by decades of state expropriation. Amer Matar, founder of the Syria Prisons Museum, described the project as an act of extreme recklessness and disregard for families seeking the fate of their loved ones. The Syrian defense ministry, the civil aviation authority, and the National Commission for Missing Persons have not responded to requests for comment.