Syria: Transition and Future Governance Must Center on Freedom and Justice

WASHINGTON-In response to the ouster of longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad in Syria, Nicole Bibbins Sedaca, Freedom House's interim president, issued the following statement:

"This historic moment offers a future Syrian government the chance to build a system centered on liberty, justice, and dignity for all of the country's people. For over five decades, Syrians have endured unimaginable suffering under the autocratic regime of Hafez al-Assad and his son Bashar, which systematically violated even the most basic of human rights through mass detention, torture, starvation, and military assaults on civilian populations, in some cases using chemical weapons. Freedom House supports the Syrian people in their struggle for democracy and urges all foreign and domestic actors to contribute to lasting peace and freedom.

"Syrian leaders and citizens now have a profound opportunity to facilitate a peaceful, democratic transition and allow for the creation of a new constitutional order that protects the rights of all Syrians, regardless of ethnicity or religion. The immediate release of any remaining political prisoners is a crucial first step to signal a commitment to justice and reconciliation.

"The international community must step forward during this critical period of transition and support the people of Syria. Democratic governments should prioritize assistance that places human rights at the core of reconstruction efforts, with lines of work including humanitarian aid, the rebuilding of independent civil society, and accountability processes for perpetrators of past atrocities. Finding a path to sanctions relief will also be essential to Syria's recovery. Most importantly, democracies cannot allow antidemocratic actors to shape this moment, as doing so would set the stage for further suffering and instability in Syria and across the region."

Background:

On December 8, 2024, a rebel offensive initially led by the militant group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) culminated in the ousterof President Bashar al-Assad and the end of his brutal regime. This opposition victory came after 13 years of civil war and more than 50 years of oppression under the Assad family.

Syria has been rated Not Free in Freedom in the World since the report's 1981 edition. Political rights and civil liberties under the Assad regime were severely compromised, as any genuine political opposition was prohibited, and freedoms of speech and assembly were harshly suppressed using tactics such as enforced disappearances, military trials, torture, and extrajudicial killings.