On September 23, the Cairo Institute of Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) in partnership with Human Rights Watch (HRW) organized a side event at the United Nations Human Rights Council’s premises in Geneva entitled ’The President’s 10 Year Anniversary: Curbing Worsening Repression and Human Rights Abuses in Syria.’
The event witnessed the presence of more than 54 state diplomats, human rights defenders and researchers. Speakers at the event included Syrian human rights defenders and Joe Stork, Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa division of Human Rights Watch, who spoke about the continuing lack of democracy and accountability in Syria.
On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of Bashar al-Assad’s rule, the event further witnessed the release of CIHRS and HRW country reports covering Syria’s human rights situation during the past decade.
Ziad Abdel Tawab of CIHRS provided a brief overview of the content of CIHRS’ report, which covered the legal restrictions on human rights activists and, more broadly, the limitations on the very existence of civil society in Syria.
Nidal Darwish, of the Committees for the Defense of Democracy Freedoms and Human Rights in Syria also gave an in-depth analysis of the trends and patterns documented by CIHRS country specific report on Syria.
Abdel Tawab and Darwish’s presentations further provided a comprehensive legal analysis of the arsenal of laws used by the Syrian government to suppress pro-democratic voices in the country. This includes the adamant military and exceptional courts, as well as the numerous laws undermining freedom of speech and expression. The speakers further spoke about the laws that deprive the Kurdish population in Syria from their basic citizenship rights.
Joe Stork provided context arguing that hopes for an easing in the dictatorship upon the ascension of Bashar al-Assad to the presidency had been misplaced. Stork detailed cases of torture, mistreatment of prisoners and disappearances by the state, and provided a list of legal reforms that the international community should demand of Syria in order for it to meet its obligations under international human rights law.
Iyas Al-Maleh, of the Free Haitham Maleh Foundation, provided a synopsis of the current human rights situation of Syria, focusing on limitations practiced against the freedoms of assembly and association. Al- Maleh also spoke of the situation of political prisoners and provided detailed examples of the current regime’s tendency to reiterate the policies of the previous presidency, including its attempts to restructure and control professional organizations.
Attendees at the event further discussed suggestions concerning concrete steps that can be taken to help the flourishing of civil society in Syria. Syria’s upcoming bid to become a member of the next Human Rights Council was also a topic of the discussions.
Attached is CIHRS’ full country specific report on Syria entitled “Ten Years in Al-Assad’s Grip.”
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