Osama Bashir Al-Bataineh, a Jordanian citizen held in Syria's Sednaya Prison for 38 years, returned to Jordan on Tuesday, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.

 

Al-Bataineh arrived at the Jaber Border Crossing, where his identity was verified before being reunited with his family. He had been imprisoned without charges since 1986, when he disappeared at the age of 18.

 

"He was transferred from Damascus to the Jaber Border Crossing, where he was welcomed by Jordanian officials and reunited with his family," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ambassador Sufyan Qudah said in a statement.

 

He added that Al-Bataineh was found unconscious and suffering from memory loss. For decades, the Jordanian embassy in Damascus inquired about his whereabouts, only to face complete denials from Syrian authorities regarding his detention.