Nearly 18,000 people died in government custody in Syria in 2011-15, an Amnesty International report says, alleging beatings and rape in prisons.

    Amnesty says its document includes interviews with 65 "torture survivors", who have described appalling abuse in jails and detention centres, according to the (BBC).

    Amnesty estimates that more than 17,723 people died in custody across Syria between March 2011, when the uprising against Bashar al-Assad began, and December 2015.

    This is about 10 people each day, or more than 300 a month, Amnesty says. The human rights group urges the world community to pressure Damascus to end the use of torture.  "For decades, Syrian government forces have used torture as a means to crush their opponents," Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa Director Philip Luther said. 

    "Today, it is being carried out as part of a systematic and widespread attack directed against anyone suspected of opposing the government in the civilian population and amounts to crimes against humanity," he added.

Source: QNA