The Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) organized a symposium titled “The Necessity of Accountability and the Dangers of Normalization” as part of its “Accountability Not Normalization” campaign, launched on the twelfth anniversary of the Syrian Revolution. The event was attended by members of the political committee and general assembly, as well as human rights activists, researchers, and media professionals.
During the symposium, participants emphasized the importance of holding the Assad regime accountable for its crimes against detainees, its use of chemical weapons and barrel bombs against innocent people. They also discussed the dangers of normalizing relations with the regime.
Participants highlighted that even if normalization was presented under humanitarian cover, it would have no political or economic benefit and would only harm the humanitarian and human rights cause in Syria while consolidating the foundations of tyranny. Normalization would also lead to more blackmail of Arab and international parties and the influx of drugs in the region.
Salim Idris, a member of the political committee, stressed that the Assad regime committed heinous crimes against the Syrian people and ignored their legitimate demands. The regime responded to the Syrian people’s demands with live bullets and relied on its military might to crush the protests and silence the people. Idris denounced recent efforts to normalize relations with the regime and warned that the regime will turn against such efforts and continue to operate under the orders of the mullahs’ regime in Tehran.
Ahmed Tomeh, the coordinator of the SOC’s Strategic Consulting Office, emphasized that the SOC is actively pressuring the international community to hold the Assad regime accountable. The SOC is in constant communication with international and human rights organizations, providing them with evidence condemning the Assad regime.
Tomeh also pointed out that the earthquake catastrophe was exploited to normalize with the criminal regime. The SOC refuses to exploit such catastrophes for normalization and stressed that there is no point in normalizing with the Assad regime, which handed over Lebanon and Syria to the Iranian enemy, now occupying four Arab capitals.
Ayman Al-Asimi, an SOC member, stressed that the Assad regime destroyed state institutions and turned into a mercenary gang and militia. The regime granted military and security institutions the power to crush the Syrian Revolution, creating renewed crises and exporting terrorism and drugs.
Al-Asimi warned countries seeking to re-normalize with the Assad regime of the consequences of dealing with this regime, which has become unable to offer anything. The Assad regime is part of the problems that afflict those countries, and normalization would only contribute to further instability and human rights violations in Syria, he added.
