I personally did not go to Syria. As you know, the situation is very complicated. Some of my colleagues have been kidnapped and we have not heard from them for nine months. That is why I have been unable to go there.
My convictions are based on the witnesses with whom I spoke directly. Those women mentioned the same secret service centres that are now easy to identify. I saw that in the documents from Amnesty International and the International Federation for Human Rights. You can even see where the various secret service branches are located in Homs, Daraa and essentially in Damascus. Some of those places have terrible reputations. Several women told me they had been detained there. In short, I cannot be more specific than that. The firsthand accounts point to very specific places the actual locations of which we now know.
In most instances, these are different secret service branches. Militia members also rape women during raids on neighbourhoods and villages. I am also aware of something that is hard to imagine. A number of women told me they had been stopped by men who were not wearing uniforms and had been transported in unmarked cars. These were not even official cars or police cars. Consequently, it is extremely difficult to be more specific than that.
It is also quite fascinating to see that the women are blindfolded in most of the rapes. One woman told me—she even wanted to show me—that her daughter had kept the blindfold that was systematically used to cover her eyes when she was raped. That seems incredible.
One woman also kept a piece of paper on which her number was written. She was given a number and made to sign something. She was so concerned about keeping a piece of evidence. These woman obviously have very little material evidence.
The secret service centres are apparently known to Amnesty International. Other organizations have also identified the place in Damascus where most of these women are detained.