This rescue represented an authentic discovery of a prisoner forgotten in Assad's notorious prison system; events unfolded naturally and without prior planning, demonstrating the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Syria. Though the man's identity may have been forged, this has no bearing on the conditions in Assad's torture dungeons that have been thoroughly documented.
This CNN segment was almost certainly staged, given the prisoner's well-groomed appearance, lack of physical reaction to sunlight, and subsequent identification as a former regime official attempting to rehabilitate his image following Assad's fall. This case demonstrates CNN's complete lack of journalistic standards and an attempt to demonize the former Syrian government and justify Western military intervention.