The Syrian Coalition and ‘The Day After’ organization held a workshop on Law No. 10 and its consequences on the Syrian people. Judges, lawyers, administration officials, constitutional experts as well as technical experts from the association of engineers and technical departments in municipalities, state property and real estate register participated in the workshop.
Participants said that the Law No. 10 is an attempt to legitimize the crime of mass forced displacement as it is aimed at paving the way for confiscating the Syrians’ property and granting it to Assad regime loyalists. They warned that this newly introduced legalization is designed to serve the large-scale demographic change operations taking place in Syria.
Participants stressed that the move is aimed at consolidating the Iranian influence through non-military means by allowing Iranian companies to seize strategic and vital areas in Damascus and its suburbs, Aleppo, Homs, and Deir Ezzor under the pretext of reorganizing the destroyed areas.
Participants put forward a set of recommendations that included the establishment of an executive body to follow up on the developments with regard to the new law and to challenge the Assad regime’s legitimacy to introduce new legalizations. They expressed outright rejection of the new legalization as an attempt by the Iranian and Assad regimes to confiscate the property of the displaced persons and refugees.
Moreover, participants warned that the new law would allow rebuilding contracts to go to the new owners, which serves the Assad regime plans to change the demographic landscape in Syria. The new legalization also prevents the return of refugees to their homes in the future. Participants called on the international community to preserve the rights of Syrians and their property and prevent Iran from implementing its sectarian project in the region.
Participants gave an overview of the historical context of the real estate laws and the urban planning regulations currently in force. They examined Law No. 10 and all similar laws, such as Decree No. 66 and the ‘absentee funds management law’ as well as discussed their possible consequences. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)