President of the Syrian Coalition Abdurrahman Mustafa said that the Assad regime is trying to delude the international community into believing that it has begun introducing reforms through reshuffling the current cabinet. He pointed out that the main problem in Syria does not lie in preserving or dissolving the current cabinet, but in the policies of the murderous, authoritarian regime.
“The regime has given its head the right to appoint and change the prime minister, ministers and their deputies. Assad has also the authority to dissolve the People’s Assembly and has total control on the judiciary, the police and the army,” Mustafa said in special statements on Tuesday.
President Mustafa added: “Assad has taken this move for the sixth time since the start of the Syrian revolution in March 2011. He has not done anything that could lead to meeting the aspirations of the Syrian people for freedom and dignity. Facts on the ground indicate that the Assad regime will not change its brutal, bloody policies as it continues to take revenge on and detain innocent civilians, including returnees from Lebanon.”
“Assad’s latest cabinet reshuffle included appointing Muhammed Rahmoun, who has been involved in war crimes against Syrian civilians, as Minster of the Interior. As the regime is composed of a bunch of murderers, the changes it is making will not meet the standards laid out in international resolutions calling for a genuine, comprehensive change through the establishment of a Transitional Governing Body with full powers.”
Moreover, President Mustafa stressed that any attempt to rehabilitate the Assad regime will be unacceptable and will be doomed to failure, expressing his surprise at the countries that “were deceived and want to convince others to rehabilitate the Assad regime and restore relations with it.”
The With Justice rights group said that Rahmoun commanded the troops that stormed and carried out mass arrests in the Damascus suburbs of Harasta, Arbeen, Douma, Barzah and Qaboun. He also supervised the questioning and torture of detainees leading to the death of tens of thousands. The rights group pointed out that the Air Force Intelligence branch in Harasta, which is headed by Rahmoun, is dubbed “death branch.” by Syrians. (Source: Syrian Coalitions’ Media Department)