Syrian Coalition Slams Hezbollah Bullying of Syrian Refugees into Voting for Assad

Alia Mansour, member of the political committee, said that “the failure of the international community to take a firm stand against Assad’s massacres emboldened Assad to hold his sham elections through which he seeks to reproduce his regime and restore the legitimacy he has lost. Mansour criticized the international community’s overlooking of the political terrorism perpetrated by Hezbollah against the Syrian refugees in Lebanon to force them into voting for Assad. “We are still waiting for real steps from the Friends of the Syrian people towards these violations committed by Assad and his allies.” Mansour concluded her remarks pointing out that “the mass demonstrations by the Syrian refugees in Arsal, Tripoli and other Lebanese cities are message clear to Assad and his ally Hezbollah that “we will not kneel down and will not recognize the killer as a president of Syria.” Nasser al-Hariri, member of the political committee, said that the remarks made by the regime’s Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem are “illogical and contradict with what is really happening in Syria.” Muallem stated that the presidential elections “will pave the way for restoring security and stability in Syria, and are the only way to bring about a political solution.” Al-Hariri also said that these elections will jeopardize any remaining chances for reaching a peaceful solution, and will be held in utmost disregard for the blood of the Syrian people and the international efforts represented by the Geneva talks. Assad’s cronies are unashamedly talking about restoring security and stability in attempt to acquit their president of the killings and the destruction he wrought on Syria. Bashar al-Assad has destroyed 60% Syria’s cities and towns and has displaced more than half of the population. However, he thinks that he can simply undo all the devastation he caused through his staged and sham elections.” Moreover, Al-Hariri said he received information from within Intelligence Branch No. 215 of the Assad regime “that security forces used the ID cards of thousands of detainees in Assad’s prisons to cast their ballots for Bashar al-Assad without them knowing it.” He also said the visit paid by head of the Iranian National Security to the polling stations in Damascus “is normal in light of the Iranian occupation of Syria, as Iranian officials repeatedly acknowledged sending military experts and militias to fight alongside regime forces. Furthermore, the countries that sent observers to monitor the so-called elections are accomplices to Assad’s crimes against the Syrian people. For him it was necessary to have those observers so that his parody is perfectly carried out. (Source: Syrian Coalition)