Abdelbaset Abdellatif, Secretary of the political committee in the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC), condemned the Assad regime’s decision to freeze the assets of hundreds of people and their families in the town of Zakiya in the Damascus countryside. He stated that this action violates international laws and constitutes collective punishment. Abdellatif noted that the regime employs its legislative tools to collectively punish populations that have rebelled or escaped its control at some point during the Syrian revolution.
Referring to a Human Rights Watch report, Abdellatif highlighted that during the Syrian revolution, the regime has adapted its legislative arsenal to support its repressive policies, modifying laws that once offered protections to those affected by measures such as property seizures.
He stressed that these decisions violate the personal rights of citizens, particularly the right to property, which is constitutionally protected and should only be expropriated for the general good of society and with fair compensation.
Abdellatif underscored that the Assad regime’s aim with these measures is to hinder the return of refugees and displaced persons. He also accused the regime of using these measures to effect demographic changes, adding that the proceeds from the seized properties are being used to pay debts to allies who supported the regime in its war against the Syrian people.
In a report released on Thursday, Human Rights Watch stated that the Assad regime has unlawfully targeted hundreds of people and their families from a town south of Damascus with asset freezes since early 2024. The report emphasized that “the en masse asset freezes constitute collective punishment and a violation of the right to property.”
“The indiscriminate nature of these mass asset freezes in Zakiya appears to reflect a broader strategy of collective punishment against communities in recaptured areas,” said Adam Coogle, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “Weaponizing counterterrorism laws to justify unlawful asset freezes and seizures is a deliberate policy aimed at maintaining a climate of fear and repression in former opposition areas.”
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
