Press release
Syrian Opposition Coalition
Department of Media and Communications
May 19, 2023
The Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) strongly emphasizes that the inclusion of war criminal Bashar al-Assad in the Arab Summit is a deplorable endorsement of his heinous crimes against the Syrian people. It disregards the sacrifices made by Syrians over the past 12 years, insults the victims who await justice, and abandons the Syrian people who yearn for freedom.
The criminal Assad regime does not represent the aspirations of the noble Syrian nation. Allowing this regime to occupy Syria’s seat in the Arab League implies that Iran attends the summit through its puppet, as Assad carries out its malevolent expansionist agenda in Arab countries. Excusing the regime’s presence as an opportunity for change is a futile delay tactic that only perpetuates further violence, arrests, and suffering. The Assad regime has a long history of deceit, lies, and obstructing any meaningful political progress in Syria.
It is utterly unacceptable for certain countries to recognize the criminal regime as legitimate, despite its perpetration of hundreds of thousands of war crimes and crimes against humanity against the Syrian people. It is widely acknowledged that this regime is nothing more than a pawn in the hands of Russia and the Iranian regime, which manipulate it to serve their own interests, assisting in the murder of Syrians and bolstering its military machine.
The Syrian people remain resolute in their pursuit of freedom and independence, even if they stand alone. They will persist in their revolution, rising against Assad until they reclaim their freedom, establish justice, and build a democratic Syria. Achieving these goals necessitates international accountability, a genuine political transition, and effective implementation of UN resolutions on Syria, particularly Resolution 2254. The Syrian Opposition Coalition calls on the international community to take decisive action in support of these principles.
