Syria Transition Roadmap Full En

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roadmap

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2013 Syrian Center or Political and Strategic Studies. All rights reserved.

No part o this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any orm or by any means without permission

in writing rom the Syrian Center. Please direct inquiries to:

Syrian Center or Political and Strategic Studies

1025 Connecticut Ave NW Suite 1000

Washington, D.C. 20036

el. + 1 [email protected]

www.scpss.org

Cover design: Yaseen Ziadeh

Printing: Doyle Printing & Oset Company

Special thanks to the International Development Research Centre o Canada (IDRC) or their support o

this project.

Tis publication can be downloaded at no cost at www.syrianexperthouse.org


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iC

All the victims o the Syrian revolution

With their sacrice, the revolution began rom nothing. And with their

blood, the revolution was sustained, despite the pain. For them, we must

achieve the goal o a state built on reedom, dignity, and democracy

Qasim al-Deiry, Idlib

Mohammed Amin Abdellati, Aleppo

Ahmed Khaled Shehadeh, Darayya

Tese colleagues were all kil led ater participating in the meetings o the

Syrian Expert House. May their sacrice serve as an unquenchable light,

illuminating our path to a new and better uture.


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The Sy ri an CenTer for PoliT iCal and STr aTegiC

STudieS (SCPSS) is an independent, nongovernmental studies center.

Te SCPSS mission is to educate readers and activists about the Syrian

Arab Republic rom political, economic, social and strategic perspectives.

SCPSS sponsors programs that tackle theoretical, applied, and social

science research through studies, conerences, publications, symposiums,

and seminars. SCPSS aims to translate major books and research papersthat analyze the Syrian case in the various elds o economics, political

and social science, and cultural studies. For more inormation visit

www.scpss.org

The Sy ri an ex PerT houSe is an initiative launched by the

Syrian Center or Political and Strategic Studies to analyze and study the

transitional period in Syria. Te Syrian Expert House is a combined group

o approximately three hundred human rights activists, academics, judges,

lawyers, doctors, opposition politicians, deected government ocials,

deected military ocers, members o local revolutionary councils, and

commanders o the armed opposition who are committed to holding

periodic meetings to build a nal vision o the transitional period and

produce considered, deliberate recommendations or the political, social,

economic, military, and security aspects o the uture o Syria. For more

inormation visit www.syrianexperthouse.org


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CS

S Hs .........................................................................................................

S Hs Ps .....................................................................................

S s m . . . W? ..................................................................................

M s S ......................................................................................

Te Srian Expert House Workshops ........................................................................................................................32

sms S :i ms i s ................................................

Revolutions o the Arab Spring ............................................................................................................................... 38

Te Birth o the Srian Revolution .......................................................................................................................... 39

Te Internal Dnamics o the Revolution ................................................................................................................ 40

Regional Politics and the Arab League .................................................................................................................... 46

A Change in the International Discourse ..................................................................................................................47

Ko Annans Mission ...............................................................................................................................................47

UN Securit Council Resolution 2042 ..................................................................................................................... 48

UN Securit Council Resolution 2043 ..................................................................................................................... 48

Te International Observers Mission ...................................................................................................................... 49

Political and Diplomatic Deections ........................................................................................................................ 50

Te Appearance o the Al-Nusra Front..................................................................................................................... 50

Establishment o the National Coalition or Srian Revolutionar and Opposition Forces.......................................... 50

Hezbollahs Intervention .........................................................................................................................................51

P Ssm S ....................................................................

Te First Phase: Te ransitional Period ................................................................................................................. 55

Constitutional Challenges .......................................................................................................................................57

Te Interim Constitutional Declaration................................................................................................................... 58

Te Constitution o 1950 as an Interim Constitution: Its Importance and Smbolism .............................................. 58

Constitutional Steps or the ransitional Period ...................................................................................................... 60

A New Law or the ransitional Period .................................................................................................................... 62

Te Political Future o Sria: Political Reorm and the pe o Rule ......................................................................... 62

Srias Future: A Parliamentar or Presidential Sstem? .......................................................................................... 63

Establishing Political Reorm in Sria ..................................................................................................................... 65

Mechanisms to Overcome Obstacles to Reorm ...................................................................................................... 68


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M Cs S ...........................................................................

Te Constitutional Culture in Sria ..........................................................................................................................73

Constitutional Legitimac in the ransitional Period ...............................................................................................75

Mechanisms or Drating the Constitution o the New Sria .....................................................................................77

Guarantees in the Election o Constitutional Assembl Members and Reerendum Stages ....................................... 80

Conclusions Regarding the Sequence o Constitutional Steps ...................................................................................81

imetable .............................................................................................................................................................. 83

lw m S .........................................................................................

Te Histor o Elections in Sria ............................................................................................................................. 85

Elections Law: Wh a New Electoral Law? ............................................................................................................... 88

Democrac and the Electoral Sstem ...................................................................................................................... 89

Electoral Sstems .................................................................................................................................................. 89

Srian Election Law ................................................................................................................................................ 93

5. Electoral Districts .............................................................................................................................................. 95

Te Electoral Institution and the Legal Framework ................................................................................................102

imerame ............................................................................................................................................................105

P Psm S ....................................................................................

Te Histor o Political Parties in Sria .................................................................................................................. 107

Eliminating Part Pluralism in Sria ......................................................................................................................109

Te 2011 Political Parties Law ...............................................................................................................................109Part Pluralism in Postrevolutionar Sria ..............................................................................................................112

imerame .............................................................................................................................................................114

sbs lw i J ..................................

Judicial Authorit in Sria during the Rule o al-Assad ............................................................................................119

Te Independence o the Judiciar under the Rule o al-Assad ............................................................................... 123

Te State o the Srian Judiciar during the Revolution ..........................................................................................131

s Js .............................................................

Te National Commission or ransitional Justice and Reconciliation ......................................................................141

ransitional Justice and National Reconciliation .................................................................................................... 150

s S Ss ................................................................................

Civil Securit Apparatuses ..................................................................................................................................159

Militar Securit Apparatuses ................................................................................................................................160

Te Role o the Securit Apparatuses in the Srian Revolution ...............................................................................160

Goals and Principles or Reorming the Securit Apparatuses .................................................................................163

Challenges to Securit-Sector Reorm ....................................................................................................................165


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Reorming the Securit Apparatuses .....................................................................................................................166

imerame ............................................................................................................................................................ 170

Pss m S ................................................................

Te State o the Srian Arm Beore the Outbreak o the Srian Revolution ............................................................ 178

Te Establishment o the Free Srian Arm............................................................................................................ 178

Constructing a Modern National Arm ................................................................................................................... 181

Goals and Precepts or Reorming the Arm ........................................................................................................... 181

Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration Programs ..................................................................................183

m ims s Pss S .........................

Te Uprising: Its Underling Economic Factors ..................................................................................................... 193

Te Reign o Bashar al-Assad: How to Step into the Wrong Side o Histor..............................................................196

Srias Econom in the Decade to Come .................................................................................................................199

Building the Foundations or a Prosperous Sria ....................................................................................................201

: Ps Cs s P S ......

Introduction .........................................................................................................................................................216

Part One: General Provisions ................................................................................................................................. 217

Part wo: Te ransitional Government ................................................................................................................218

Part Tree: Te National Constituent Assembl .....................................................................................................219

Part Four: Te National Commission or ransitional Justice and National Reconciliation ...................................... 220

: im Ps lw P Ps ....................................................

Chapter 1: Denitions, Goals, and Basic Principles .................................................................................................. 221

Chapter 2: Foundation ...........................................................................................................................................222

Chapter 3: Financial Resources and Provisions .......................................................................................................224

Chapter 4: Rights and Duties .................................................................................................................................225

Chapter 5: General Provisions ...............................................................................................................................226

Chapter 6: Final Provisions ....................................................................................................................................226

C: Ps g s lw .......................................................Chapter 1: Denitions, Goals, and Election Rights ..................................................................................................227

Chapter 2: Electoral Commissions and Committees .............................................................................................. 228

Chapter 3: Te Electoral Districts and Number o Seats .........................................................................................229

Chapter 4: Te Electoral Sstem ............................................................................................................................229

Chapter 5: Conditions and Procedures or Nomination and Election ...................................................................... 230

Chapter 6: Campaigning ........................................................................................................................................231

Chapter 7: Electoral Operation ...............................................................................................................................231

Chapter 8: Counting o Votes and Announcement o the Results ............................................................................232

Chapter 9: Election Crimes ....................................................................................................................................233

Chapter 11: Final Clauses .......................................................................................................................................233


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bs s

ables

5.1 Srias Civil Status Records, Januar 2011 .......................................................................................................... 945.2 Te Population Percentages and the Number o Representative Seats

within the Constituent Assembl Granted to Each District ...............................................................................100

10.1 Te Militarization o Societ, Comparing Indicators or Sria and the Rest o the World, 1982 ........................... 176

A11.1 Ke Indicators and the Global Competitiveness Index Rankings and Comparisons...........................................207

A11.2 Te Global Competitiveness Index, 201112: Basic Requirements ................................................................. 208

A11.3 Te Global Competitiveness Index, 201112: Ecienc Enhancers ................................................................ 209

A11.4 Te Global Competitiveness Index, 201112: Innovation and Sophistication Factors ..................................... 209

A11.5 Te Global Competitiveness Index in Detail ...................................................................................................211

Figures

4.1 imetable ........................................................................................................................................................ 83

9.1 Assads Pramid State ......................................................................................................................................156

9.2 Bureacratic Expansion during the Tird Republic .............................................................................................158

9.3 Baath Part Membership since 1963 ................................................................................................................158

9.4 A Model Explaining the Srian Securit Organization and Representation in the Homeland Securit Council ..... 169

9.5 Detailed Drawing o the Proposed Directorate o Internal Securit and Its Subbranches .....................................171

10.1 State Budget Spending Levels and the op Expenses in 2002 ...........................................................................177

10.2 Administrative Structure o the Joint Chies o Sta .......................................................................................180

10.3 Stages o the Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration Process .........................................................189

11.1 Te Growth in Srias GDP, 19992010 .............................................................................................................198

11.2 Te Most Problematic Factors or Doing Business ............................................................................................210


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Syi P HSWkig gPS

Cs m lw

haiTha m al-maleh

eam Leader

Haitham al-Maleh is a democracy activist and

ormer judge. He earned a degree in law and public

international law diploma and began work as a lawyer

in 1957 beore becoming a judge in 1958. He returned

to the practice o law ater being dismissed rom the

Syrian judiciary or his vocal criticism o the 1963

Emergency Law, which suspended constitutional

rights and codied martial law.

He began his political activity in 1951, during themilitary rule o President Adib al-Shishakli, and was

imprisoned or six years, rom 1980 to 1986, due to

his demands or constitutional reorms.

In July 2001, he and other human rights activists

in Syria ounded the Human Rights Association, o

which he was elected president, a position he held until

2006. He has been active in Amnesty International

since 1989. He was arrested on October 14, 2009, and

sentenced to three years in prison or spreading alse

and misleading inormation that would aect the

morale o the nation. He was released in 2011 and

joined the opposition abroad. He is a ormer member

o the Syrian National Council and is currently the

head o the Legal Committee o the National Coali-

tion o Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces.

mouSa mouSa

Senior Researcher

Mousa Mousa, the senior researcher or this group,

graduated with a diploma in public law rom the Beirut

Arab University, a diploma in intellectual property

rom the World Intellectual Property Organization

in Geneva, and a masters in public international law

rom the Arab Open Academy in Denmark.

He has extensive experience in the eld o human

rights and has been involved in multiple training

programs and workshops on the international mech-anisms o human rights and the mechanisms o Uni-

versal Periodic Review at the Geneva Institute or

Human Rights.

He is a member o the legal committee o the

Syrian National Council and was a key author o its

bylaws. Currently, he is the president o the Kurdish

Center or Legal and Political Development. He has

published many political, legal, and constitutional

studies and articles.


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P ms m

dr. mohamad hoSam hafez

Senior Researcher

Dr. Mohamad Hosam Haez is currently a visiting

proessor in the College o Law at Qatar University.

Previously, he worked as a diplomat and legal adviseror the Syrian Ministry o Foreign Aairs rom 1998

to 2012, serving in Damascus, ehran, London, and

Yerevan. He received a B.A. and diplomas in criminal

law and public law rom the University o Damascus.

He completed an L.L.M. in human rights law at the

University o Nottingham in 2000. He also earned

a Ph.D in international human rights law rom the

University o Damascus in 2006. He brings with him

vast experience in the elds o teaching and research

rom the University o Nottingham, the University

o Damascus, the Fatih Institute, the Syrian VirtualUniversity, and the Syrian Academy or Development.

amb aSSa dor farouk Tah a

eam Leader

Ambassador Farouk aha holds a diploma rom the

Diplomatic Academy o the Ministry o Foreign

Aairs o the Russian Federation and a masterso mass media and a Ph.D. in literature rom the

Lomonosov Moscow State University. He worked

at the Ministry o Foreign Aairs as associate

director o the Administrative and Financial Aairs

Department rom 1994 to 1997.

He was appointed as the Syrian ambassador to

the Republic o Yemen rom 2002 to 2004. Ten he

was appointed as a director o the Department o

Management and Finance rom 2004 to 2006, and

he worked as the assistant o the minister o oreign

aairs rom 2004 to 2007. He was then appointedSyrian ambassador to the republics o Belarus, Lith-

uania, Estonia, and Latvia. He announced his deec-

tion rom the Syrian regime on July 27, 2012. He is

currently secretary o the Free National Assembly o

the Employees o Syrian State Institutions.


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SyRIA RANSIION ROADMAP | 13

m P Ps

dr. marwan J. kabalan,

Senior Researcher

Dr. Marwan J. Kabalan is a Syrian academic and

writer. He holds a Ph.D. in international relations.

He was the dean o the Faculty o InternationalRelations and Diplomacy at Kalamoon University

in Damascus until November 2012. He did research

on international political theory at the University o

Manchester and at the Faculty o Political Sciences

o Damascus University. He is an expert on oreign

policy and a regular contributor to several Arab and

English newspapers. He was a member o the board

o directors at the Damascus University Center or

Strategic Studies and Research and is the author o

several books and numerous articles on Syria and the

Middle East.

george Sabr a

eam Leader

George Sabra graduated with a geography degree

rom Damascus University in 1971 and a degree

in educational technology systems rom IndianaUniversity in 1978. He has been politically active in

the Syrian opposition movement since the 1970s. He

joined the Syrian Communist Party (Political Bureau)

in 1970 and was elected to its Central Committee in

1985. He was arrested in 1987 during one o many

government crackdowns on the party and imprisoned

or eight years. A ew years ater his release, in

2000, he was assigned to represent the party at the

National Democratic Gathering, a coalition o letist

parties that was originally ormed in 1979, and he

was subsequently elected to the gatherings CentralCommittee.

Currently a member o the Syrian Democratic

Peoples Party, he previously served as president o the

Syrian National Council and was acting president o

the National Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary and

Opposition Forces rom April 22 to July 6, 2013.


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14 |

S S m

maJor general mohamedhuSSein al-haJJ ali

eam Leader

Major General Mohamed Hussein al-Hajj Ali

graduated with the rank o lieutenant general rom

the Military Academy in 1978. In 1981, he wastranserred to the Supreme Military Academy, where

he was appointed as a trainer. Between 1984 and

1985, he earned a diploma in political guidance rom

the Lenin Academy in the ormer Soviet Union. In

1986, he attended a chie battalion commander course

at the College o Inantry in Aleppo, in addition to

a Command Sta course at the Supreme Military

Academy between 1989 and 1991. He attended

Nasser Higher Military Academy in Egypt rom

1993 to 1994.

He aided in the establishment o the NationalDeense College o the Supreme Military Academy

in Damascus in 2000 and served as a trainer there

until 2005, when he was appointed commander o

the Mechanized Brigade. He then served as director

o the National Deense College rom 2008 until

his deection rom the Syrian Army on August 2,

2012. He received a diploma in public administra-

tion rom the University o Damascus and a Ph.D.

in national deense rom Nasser Higher Military

Academy in Egypt.

dr. haSan Jobran

Senior Researcher

Dr. Hasan Jobran is the head o the Research and

Studies Oce o the Free Syrian Academics Union in

Gaziantep, urkey. Previously, he was the vice deano the Faculty o Arts and Humanities or Scientic

Aairs at Aleppo University. He has held positions

at a number o universities and was a project advisor

or the Syria 2025 project administered by the United

Nations Development Program in 2006. He received

a doctorate in the sociology o development and social

change and a masters degree in sociology, both rom

Damascus University.


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m m

dr. oSama kadi,

eam Leader

Dr. Osama Kadi is the co-ounder and president o

the Syrian Center or Political and Strategic Studies

in Washington and the president o the SyrianCanadian Council. He is the general coordinator

o the Syrian Economic ask Force, coordinator o

Basket 3: Economic Policies and Reorms, and head

o the Syrian delegation to the Friends o Syria group

or Economic Recovery and Development. He is also

president o Concordia College o Canada or Health,

Business, and echnology.

He worked previously in Syria as and economic

consultant with the Syrian Agency or Combating

Unemployment and with the United Nations Devel-

opment Program in Syria to write a uture study aboutSyrian Development rajectories 2025. He writes or

the Al-Arab newspaper in Qatar, and appears regu-

larly on the BBC, RCI-CBS, V Barada-UK, and

other channels.

dr. raed Safadi

Senior Researcher

Dr. Raed Saadi is currently the deputy director o the

rade and Agriculture Directorate at the Organization

or Economic Cooperation and Development. Beoreassuming his current position in mid-2009, he served

as chie economist or the Government o Dubai.

Tere, he led the team entrusted with redening the

economic pillar in Dubais Strategic Plan 2015 and

with shielding the Emirate rom the 2009 global

economic crisis.

He specializes in the empirical and policy analysis

o international trade. He has published an exten-

sive array o books and articles covering such areas

as trade and development, regional trading arrange-

ments, taris and nontari barriers, special and di-erential treatment, trade and environment, and the

world trading system. His current research interests

include globalization and labor market issues. He

previously worked or the World Bank and has been

a consultant or a number o governments, regional

development banks, and UN agencies.


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16 |

s Js

dr. radwan ziadeh

eam Leader

Radwan Ziadeh is the co-ounder and executive

director o the Syrian Center or Political and Strategic

Studies in Washington, D.C. and the ounder anddirector o the Damascus Center or Human Rights

Studies in Syria. He is the managing editor o the

ransitional Justice in the Arab World Project and

a ormer member o the Syrian National Council.

He is also a Visiting Scholar at Lehigh University

and Fellow at the Institute or Social Policy and

Understanding (ISPU) in Washington D.C.

He was one o the major players in the Damas-

cus Spring, a period o intense debate about politics,

social issues, and calls or reorm in Syria ater the

death o President Haez al-Asad in 2000. Since theSyrian uprising started in March 15, 2011 he has

worked to document human rights violations and

twice testied at the United Nations Human Rights

Council in Geneva.

He was most recently a Visiting Scholar at Dubai

Initiative at Kennedy school o Government at Har-

vard University, visiting scholar at Te Institute or

Middle East Studies (IMES) at Elliot School o

International Aairs at George Washington Univer-

sity, Prins Global Fellow at Hagop Kevorkian Center

or Near Eastern Studies at New York University and

Visiting Scholar at Te Center or Contemporary

Arab Studies (CCAS) at Georgetown University.

Beore that he was ReaganFascell Fellow at

National Endowment or Democracy (NED) in

Washington D.C. and Visiting Scholar at the Center

or the Study o Human Rights at Columbia Univer-

sity in New York City. He was also a Visiting Fellow

at Chatham House (Te Royal Institute o Interna-

tional Aairs) in London and a visiting scholar at

Carr Center or Human Rights at Harvard University

(20082009). From 20072008 he was a Senior

Fellow at United States Institute o Peace (USIP)

in Washington, D.C. In 2009 he was awarded the

Middle East Studies Association (MESA) Academic

Freedom award.

His most recent book is Power and Policy in Syria:

Intelligence Services, Foreign Relations and Democracy

in the Modern Middle East(I.B.auris, 2011).

amr a l-SarraJ

Senior Researcher

Amr al-Sarraj is an electronic and new media expert

and specializes in international politics and economics.

He received a masters degree in e-business (electronic

news services) rom Middle East University in

Jordan, a bachelors degree in international businessrom Hashemite University, and a diploma in

diplomacy, global governance, and management o

international relations rom the Societ Italiana per

lOrganizzazione Internazionale (Italian Society or

International Organization) in Rome.


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s ssss

Amer Doko

Hart Uhl

Mojahed Ghadban

s sss

Hamza Amer

Hart Uhl

Mojahed Ghadban


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Syi P HS PiCiPSAbdo Hossam Al-Deen ormer Deputy Oil MinisterAbdul Karim Bakkar National Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces

Abdul Karim Sabri Omar Kurdish National Council

Abdul Rahman al-Sarraj Al-Masar Center

Abdulahad Seo Assyrian Democratic Organization, National Coalition or Syrian

Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Syrian National Council

Abdula lziz al-Shal lal deected major general, Free Syrian Army

Abdulaziz al-Masri economic researcher, water expert

Abdulaziz al-ammo Kurdish Future Movement

Abdulbaset Seda ormer president o the Syrian National Council; member, NationalCoalition or Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces

Abdulelah Fahed National Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces

Abdulhadi Sweed Homs Revolutionary Council

Abdulhakim Bashar president, Kurdish Democratic Party in Syria

Abdulhameed al-Hammoud judge, Independent Judicial Council

Abdulhamid Darwish president, Democratic Progressive Party in Syria

Abdulhamid Zakaria deected colonel, Supreme Military Council, Free Syrian Army

Abdulilah Al-Mulhem Syrian National Council

Abduljalil al-Saeed political activist, cleric

Abdulkadir Rajah Damascus Center or Human Rights Studies

Abdulkarim Agha urkmen Movement

Abdulkarim Omar political activist

Abdullah Khalil lawyer, human rights activist (Raqqa)

Abdullah Kilani political activist

Abdullah Sultan deected lieutenant, Supreme Military Council, Free Syrian Army

Abdullati al-Dabbagh ormer Syrian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates

Abdulrahman Abbarah political activist

Abdulrahman al-Haj Syrian National Council

Abdulrahman al-Hassan deected general, Free Syrian Army

Abdulrazak al-Athma political activist

Abdulsalam Othman political activist

Adib al-Shishakli Special Representative o the Syrian National Council to the Gul

Cooperation Council; National Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary

and Opposition Forces

Adnan Ghassab al-Mahamed human rights activist, Damascus Center or Human Rights Studies

Adnan Omar Zureiq lawyer (Idlib)

Adnan Sallow deected major general, Free Syrian Army

Adnan Shammaa businessman

A Suleiman deected colonel, Supreme Military Council, Free Syrian Army

Ara Abdelrahim Sharabajee human rights activist (Darayya)


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20 |

Ara Jalaby human rights activist, Syrian National Council

Ahmad Assi al-Jarba National Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces,

Syrian National Council

Ahmad Hassoun Free Syrian Lawyers Union

Ahmad Ismail political activist

Ahmad Rahal deected general, Free Syrian Army

Ahmad ohme Damascus Declaration or Democratic National Change

Ahmed Abdel Aal political activist

Ahmed Adnan Al-Jumjumy lawyer, activist

Ahmed al-Ali political activist

Ahmed al-Siasneh Sham Scholars Committee

Ahmed Barre deected general, Supreme Military Council, Free Syrian Army

Ahmed Ghalib al-Ahdab businessman

Ahmed Hassan Al-Mohammad Idlib Revolutionary Council

Ahmed Ismail Khalil political activist

Ahmed Mohammed Kanaan Syrian Reorm Movement

Ahmed Mustaa Qassoum lawyer, activist (Idlib)

Ahmed Qassim al-Khatib activist, uncle o Hamzeh al-Khatib (14-year-old boy killed by Syrian

security orces)

Ahmed Rashid Free Aleppo Lawyers Union

Ahmed Samer Aqad businessman

Akram al-Badri deected major, Supreme Military Council, Free Syrian Army

Alaa Mullah Mahmoud independent activist

Alan Ammo political activist

Ali al-Besh deected member, Syrian Parliament

Ali Al-Zeer Free Syrian Lawyers Union

Ali Amin Sweden Syrian Revolution General Commission

Ali Ammash Alao deected general, Supreme Military Council, Free Syrian Army

Ali Badran lawyer, political activist

Ali Mohamed al-Amin political activist

Ali Nawa Al-Assi political activist

Ali Sadr al-Deen al-Bayanouni Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, National Coalition or Syrian


Amal al-Nassan Free Syrian Lawyers Union

Amer Bitar deected judge, Independent Judicial Council

Amjad Farkh Syrian Revolution General Commission

Ammar al-Wawi deected captain, Free Syrian Army

Ammar Jellou lawyer, political activist

Ammar Qurabi National Change Party

Ammar Rajab Human Rights Activist

Amr al-Sarraj Syrian Center or Political and Strategic Studies

Anas Airout political activist, Imam


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Anas al-Abdeh Damascus Declaration or Democratic National Change, National

Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Syrian

National Council

Anas Alwan political activist

Anas Kayali political activist

Anwar a l-Bunni lawyer, human rights activist; National Coalition or Syrian

Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Syrian

Asaad Mustaa ormer minister o agriculture

Assem Abdelaziz political activist

Awad Ahmed Ali deected general, Supreme Military Council, Free Syrian Army

Ayman al-Sayed al-Dughaim Idlib Revolutionary Council

Azad Maaou political activistBadr al-Deen Bilal deected judge, Independent Judicial Council

Badr Jamous Syrian National Council, National Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary


Bahaa al-Khatib human rights activist, ormer political prisoner

Basem Amer Political Oce, Farouk Brigades, Free Syrian Army

Basem Hatahet Syrian National Council

Bashar al-Amin al-Ali Kurdish National Council

Bashar al-Herakey Syrian National Council

Bashar Khattab political activist

Bashir Isaac Assyrian Democratic OrganizationBashir Zine el-Abidine political researcher

Basil Kouevi businessman

Bassam Al-Abdullah political activist

Bassam Al-Ahmad human rights activist, Violations Documentation Centre in Syria

Bassam Al-Aloulu deected general, Free Syrian Army

Bassam Ishak Syrian National Council

Bayan Fathi Syrian Womens Association

Burhan Ghalioun ormer president, Syrian National Council; National Coalition or

Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces

Daad Mousa lawyer and human rights activist; National Preparatory Committee orransitional Justice

Daham al-Sattam political activist

Daoud Ahmed al-Selmy political activist

Dara Bashar political activist

Dawod al-Sulyman Idlib Revolutionary Council, Syrian National Council, National

Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces

Delber Ali Ahmad independent activist

Diab al-Barho political activist

Fadel al-Salim Syrian National Council

Fadel Al-shakeh Syrian Network or Human RightsFadi Ahmad political activist


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22 |

Fadi al-Salman activist (two brothers killed by Syrian security orces)

Fadi Sabbagh lawyer, activist

Fahad al-Basha Al-Ayam newspaper

Faisal Yousse ormer president, Kurdish National Council

Fares al-Shou political activist

Fares Mashaal ammo lawyer, Association or the Deense o the Rights o the Victims o the

Syrian Revolution

Farouk Ismail political activist

Farouk aha ormer Syrian Ambassador to Belarus

Farouq Habib Abu Salim Homs Revolutionary Council

Fateh Hassoun deected colonel, Supreme Military Council, Free Syrian Army

Fawaz Al Awwad Liberation & Building Bloc

Fayez Sara National Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces

Fida Majthoub Syrian National Movement, Syrian National Council

Fida Nasri lawyer and activist

Gabriel Koreah Assyrian Democratic Organization

George Sabra Damascus Declaration or Democratic National Change, National


National Council

Ghanem Hassan political activist

Ghassan al-Najjar Syrian Reorm rend

Ghassan Hitto ormer prime minister, Interim Government, National Coalition or


Ghassan Ibrahim media activist

Ghassan Mufeh political activist

Ghayath Bilal Revolution Leadership Council in Damascus

Ghazi al-Bakri Idlib Revolutionary Council

Habib Issa lawyer, political activist; National Preparatory Committee or

ransitional Justice

Haz Abdulrahman human rights activist

Haitham Abdul Aziz al-ammo political activist

Haitham al-Maleh National Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition ForcesHammam Yousse Syrian National Council

Hamzeh Ghadban political and media activist

Hanadi Duraq al-Sibaey Association or the Deense o the Rights o the Victims o the Syrian

Revolution (brother killed by Syrian security orces)

Hanan al-Balkhi Syrian National Council

Hani Darkanzaly political activist

Hasan Jobran proessor; Syrian Center or Political and Strategic Studies

Hassan al-Saadi Sham Scholars Committee

Hassan Alswad Syrian Commission or Justice and Accountability

Hassan Saleh deputy secretary, Yakty Party

Hassan Sayed Khan Barakohany political activist


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Hawass Hassan Osso Kurdish Political Activist

Hazar Ibrahim political activist

Hazem Adnan Araour political and media activist

Hazem Nahar political and human rights activist; National Preparatory Committee

or ransitional Justice

Hind Kabawat human rights activist

Hisham Marwa Syrian National Council, National Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary


Hooshang Darwish independent kurdish activist

Hossam al-Qtalaby Syria Justice and Accountability Centre

Hossam al-Sabbagh deected captain, Supreme Military Council, Free Syrian Army

Hossam al-Shuhneh deected judge

Hossam Haez deected diplomat

Hussein al-Sayed Syrian National Council, National Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary


Hussein Ammash economist; ormer head, Commission o Planning

Ibrahim al-Haj Ali political activist

Ibrahim Miro Syrian National Council

Iklas Badawi deected member, Syrian Parliament

Imad al-Din Rashid Syrian National Movement, Syrian National Council

Iman Shahoud deected judge, Independent Judicial Council

Ismail Haji Bakri political activistIsmail Hamey secretary, Yakty Party

Izzat al-Baghdadi Center or the Study o the Syrian Revolution

Jaber Zein Local Coordination Committees, National Coalition or Syrian

Revolutionary and Opposition Forces

Jabr al-Shou Damascus Declaration or National Democratic Change, Syrian

National Council

Jalal Khanji Aleppo Local Council, National Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary


Jamal al-Shou political activist

Jamal al-Ward Syrian National Council, National Coalition or Syrian Revolutionaryand Opposition Forces

Jamal Asaad political activist

Jamal Suleiman actor, prominent social gure; National Preparatory Committee or

ransitional Justice

Jameel Deyarbakrley political activist

Jean Antar political activist

Kamal al-Labwani National Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces

Kamal al-Riai political activist

Kameran Peakas Unity Party

Karima Reshko Kurdish human rights activistKenan al-Riai al-Jandaly political activist


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24 |

Khaled Abu Salah political and media activist

Khaled al-Dughaim political activist

Khaled al-Haj Mahmoud political activist

Khaled al-Ramla political activist

Khaled al-ahan al-Nuaimi political activist

Khaled Saleh National Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces

Khaled Shahab al-Deen deected judge, Independent Judicial Council

Khuloud Helmy human rights activist

Louay Sa Syrian National Council, National Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary


Maaz Ahmad al-Sarraj political activist (Deir ez-Zor)

Mahmoud Abu Zeid Damascus Center or Human Rights Studies

Mahmoud al-Mouslet Syrian National Council

Mahmoud Attour lawyer, activist

Mahmoud Marei lawyer, National Coordination Committee or Democratic Change

Mahmoud Suleiman Union o Syrians Abroad

Malak Qasim lawyer, Kurdish human rights activist

Malaz al-Atassi political activist

Mamdouh Jumaa Association or the Deense o the Rights o the Victims o the Syrian

Revolution (brother killed by Syrian security orces)

Mamdouh Kayali political activist

Marcel Shahwar human rights activist

Marwan Kabalan Arab Center or Research and Policy Studies

Marwan Kuayed judge, United Judicial Council

Massoud Akko Syrian Journalists Association

Mays al-Kuraidy political activist

Mazen Hashem Syrian Center or Political and Strategic Studies

Mazen Joumeh Free Aleppo Lawyers Union

Mazen Sawa businessman, Syrian National Council

Media Mahmoud political activist

Michel Kilo National Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces

Moataz Osama al-Riai political activist

Moaz Sibai Watan Committee

Mohamed Farouk ayur Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, National Coalition or Syrian


Mohamed Khalia Syrian Revolution General Commission

Mohamed Said Soliman businessman

Mohamed Sheikh Shuaeby political activist

Mohammad Ashra al-Sino lawyer, political activist

Mohammed Abdullah Al-

Sheikh

deected member, Baath Party

Mohammed Abu al-Khair

Shukri

National Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces


25/238


Mohammed Al-Abdullah Syria Justice and Accountability Centre

Mohammed Al-Abdullah Free Aleppo Lawyers Union

Mohammed al-Haj Ali deected major general, Free Syrian Army

Mohammed Aldgam Idlib Revolutionary Council, Syrian National Council

Mohammed Amin Abdel Lati Founder o the United Judicial Council, killed by the regime

Mohammed Awad deected colonel, Supreme Military Council, Free Syrian Army

Mohammed Bassam Al Emadi ormer Syrian Ambassador to Sweden

Mohammed Bassam albeleh lawyer and political activist

Mohammed Faraj political activist

Mohammed Fares Barakat deected major general, Supreme Military Council, Free Syrian Army

Mohammed Ghanem Syrian American Council

Mohammed Haji Abdullah political activist

Mohammed Ibrahim al-Ali political activist

Mohammed Khuneis al-Sharey Association or the Deense o the Rights o the Victims o the Syrian

Revolution (14-year-old son was killed by Syrian security orces)

Mohammed Mulla Rashid political activist

Mohammed Mustaa Kurdish Political Activist

Mohammed Obaid legal adviser, National Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary and

Opposition Forces; Syrian National Council

Mohammed Osei political activist

Mohammed Sabra Legal Adviser to the Interim Government, National Coalition or


Mohammed Saeed Nahaas businessman

Mohammed Saleh Ali political activist

Mohammed Sayer deected judge, Independent Judicial Council

Mohammed Suleiman Khalil political activist

Mousa al-Kurdi physician and civil society activist

Mousa al-Nabhan political activist

Mousa Amhan Free Syrian Lawyers Union

Mousa Mousa Kurdish political activist, Syrian National Council

Moutee al-Bateen Syrian National Council

Muhammad Anwar Majney deected judge, Independent Judicial Council

Muhannad al-Hassani lawyer; president, Syrian Organization or Human Rights

(SAWASIAH); National Preparatory Committee or ransitional

Justice

Muhannad alaa deected lieutenant, Supreme Military Council, Free Syrian Army

Mulham al-Jundy political activist; Syrian National Council

Mulham Durubi Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, National Coalition or Syrian


Muna Mostaa Syrian National Council, National Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary

and Opposition ForcesMuntaser al-Sinou political activist


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26 |

Munzer Makous Special Representative to France, National Coalition or Syrian


Musab al-Jazaery political activist

Musab al-ahan Syrian National Council

Mustaa al-Sheikh deected brigadier general, Supreme Military Council, Free Syrian

Army

Mustaa Hadyed human rights activist, Dawlaty Organization

Mustaa Jomeh Syrian National Council

Mustaa Mohammed Syrian National Council

Mustaa Osso President, Azadi Party in Syria, Kurdish National Council

Mutea Alwan political activist

Nael Gerges lawyer and human rights activist

Nael urkmany independent activist

Nagham al-Ghadry Syrian Revolution General Commission, National Coalition or Syrian


Najaty ayarah Syrian National Council

Nashaat al-Haj Ahmed deected lieutenant colonel, Supreme Military Council, Free Syrian

Army

Nasr Hassan political activist

Nawa al-Bashir Liberation & Building Bloc

Nidal Syam political activist

Noor Bitar Center or the Study o the Syrian RevolutionNumair Nasser political activist

Obeida Faris Syrian National Council

Obeida Nahas Syrian National Council

Omar al-Kilani political activist

Omar Alsayed Youse political activist

Omar Kush political writer, researcher

Omar Lattou deected police ocer

Omar Mushaweh Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, National Coalition or Syrian


Omar Obeid arrad Deected ocer, Supreme Military Council, Free Syrian Army

Omar Owsi political activist

Osama al-Atrash businessman, political activist

Osama al-Riai Sham Scholars Committee

Osama Edward Assyrian Network or Human Rights

Othman Meshaal political activist

Oukab Yahya Democratic National Bloc

Qasim al-Dairi Human Rights Activist, Idlib; killed by regime while traveling to

attend Managing the ransition in Syria Conerence

Qassem Saad Eddin deected colonel, Homs Military Council, Free Syrian Army

Radee Mustaa lawyer and activist; National Preparatory Committee or ransitional

Justice


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Raed Saadi economist, World Bank

Raat Mustaa political activist

Rajaa al-aly human rights activist; National Preparatory Committee or

ransitional Justice

Rami al-Dallaty political activist

Rami Hamedo Free Syrian Lawyers Committee

Rami Kara Ali political activist

Rasha Joumeh Letou Association or the Deense o the Rights o the Victims o the Syrian

Revolution (three brothers killed by Syrian security orces)

Rashid al-Kuri Syrian National Council

Rawya al-Aswad political activist

Raymon Majoun Syrian National Council

Riad Al-Asaad deected colonel, Commander o the Free Syrian Army

Rima Falihan Local Coordination Committees, National Coalition or Syrian


Risan Sheikhmousa head o Public Relations Oce, Future Movement

Saad Eddin Hassan Bek political activist

Sabd al-Hamwi political activist

Sabri Mirza Political Committee, Yakty Party

Saed Malikey political activist

Saeed al-Masri deected police ocer

Saan Hussein political activist

Sa Jadaan Syrian Center or Human Rights

Sahban Mushaweh political activist

Salah al-Deen al-Hamwi National Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces

Salah Badr al-Deen political activist

Salah Hasson political activist

Salahuddin al-Rihawi Idlib Revolutionary Council

Salem Abdulaziz al-Mouslet Council o the Syrian Arab ribes, National Coalition or Syrian


Salim Idriss deected general, Chie o Sta o Supreme Military Council, Free

Syrian Army

Samer al-Homsi political activist

Samir Nashar Damascus Declaration or Democratic National Change, National


National Council

Sara Sheikhi Kurdish activist

Sema Nasser Syrian Network or Human Rights

Shakar Huvak Kurdish activist

Shirvan Ibrahim independent Kurdish activist

Suhail Abdulbaqi deected judge, Independent Judicial Council

Suhai l Hamdan businessman

Suhair Atassi National Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces


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28 |

Sultan Hashim Syrian Secular Coalition

alal Fayyad Houshan deected judge, Independent Judicial Council

alal Subaey political activist

alal Sunbulli Syrian American Council

amam Baroudi Syrian Economic Forum

arek al-Sayed political activist

ariq al-Shathly political activist

ayseer Darwish deected lieutenant, Supreme Military Council, Free Syrian Army

Tabit Abbarah Union o Syrians Abroad

Wael Kuwaity political activist

Wajd al-Sibaey independent activist

Walid al-Bunni National Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces

Walid Saour Special Representative to the United Kingdom, National Coalition

or Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces; National Preparatory

Committee or ransitional Justice

Walid Shekhu political activist

Wasim al-Muhzem activist and brother-in-law to Mahmoud Al-Jawabrah (killed by Syrian

security orces)

Wassem Bitar deected police ocer

Yahya Beitar deected general, Supreme Military Council, Free Syrian Army

Yaroub al-Shara deected colonel, Free Syrian Army

Yassar Barish political activist

Yasser al-Najjar Syrian National Council

Yassin al-Hamwi political activist

Youse Hussein proessor

Yousse Hourani political activist

Zaher Shehab Association or the Deense o the Rights o the Victims o the Syrian

Revolution (seven amily members killed by Syrian security orces)

Zaradasht Mohammed Kurdish political activist

Ziad al-Qasim political activist

Ziad Basha deected judge, Independent Judicial Council

Ziad Haj Khalil political activist

Ziad Hassan political activist

Ziad alas deected colonel, Free Syrian Army


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The birth o the Syrian Revolution was a miracle

in itsel, in light o the severity o the Assad

regime and its savagery. In particular, what

happened in the 1980s is still clear and apparent

in the minds o Syrians. Te Syrian revolution has

astonished the entire world by its sheer occurrence.

It was even more astonishing or the Syriansthemselves, who, in witnessing the scenes o peaceul

demonstrations condemning the regimes oppression

and corruption, suddenly discovered their power,

spearheaded by the political opposition. Te peaceul

demonstrations that called or the change o a regime

that had destroyed the states political, social, cultural,

and economic oundations in nearly all provinces was

a matter that the Syrian people initially had diculty

wrapping their heads around.

In the initial months o the revolution, no one

thought seriously about the postrevolution transition,with the exception o the regime and its leaders, who

decided that there was no chance or any change, and

that it would adopt any possible means o violence to

conront and end the peaceul movement. Te Assad

regime knew that serious change would result in the

permanent end o the regime and thus o its control.

However, the Syrian peoplewho were daily

demanding peaceul change in the elds and squares

and in all cities and villages o Syria, rst in dozens

and then in the hundredsdid not really think aboutthe uture. In these days, there were many dierent

types o Syrian revolutionaries. Tey ranged rom

the optimist, who believed in the quick speed o

the regimes all, to the pessimist, who insisted that

Bashar al-Assad would stay or many years to come.

Tere were also those who supported the regime and

objected to any movement against it, in addition to

those who saw no use in changing the regime butcalled or its gradual reorm. Tis probably explains

the delay in political, diplomatic, and military deec-

tions rom the regime, just as they happened in the

Libyan and Yemeni revolutions. Tis point underlines

the importance o the role o a strong political opposi-

tion that could chart the course or the Syrian uture

and lay down plans or comprehensive change.

Six months ater the outbreak o mass demon-

strations, which coincided with the appearance o

the Free Syrian Armyconsisting o deectors rom

the regimes army and a number o civilians who vol-unteered to protect their neighborhoods, cities, and

vil lagesthe rst group o the political opposition

orces met in Istanbul. An alliance emerged that was

meant to be a political umbrella or the Syrian revolu-

tion. It was only natural that all the opposition lead-

ers were outside Syria, in light o the internal secu-

rity situation. Tis all iances name became the Syrian

National Council, named ater the Libyan National

ransition Council, which, with the help o the inter-

national community, led the Libyan revolution to a

IntroductIonSyria ransition Roadmap . . . Why?


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30 | Sria ransition Roadmap . . . Wh?

historic military victory against Muammar Gadda

and his militias.Nevertheless, predicting Syrias uture was no easy

or simple task. Te ragmentation within the Syrian

opposition appeared both inside and outside Syria.

Ater orty years o single-amily rule, the political

vacuum inside Syria was so vast that the divided

Syrian opposition ound it dicult to reach a con-

sensus on matters concerning representation, leader-

ship, and building a common vision, in addition to

uture planning or building a new Syria. Tis was in

spite o the act that the various opposition groups,such as the Syrian National Council and the National

Coalition o Syrian Revolutionary and Oppositions

Forces, were holding several conerences. Te coner-

ences discussed government reorm and the demand

or putting an end to the Assad regimehowever, no

group succeeded in including and representing all the

ethnic, religious, cultural, and political groups; nor

did any group succeed in proposing a detailed plan

or Syrias uture.

Te Syrian National Council presented its vision

or the transition phase o the new Syria, as it calledit, in April 2012.1 It was completely general, ocus-

ing only on the political and economic aspects and

the revolutions main demand, which was President

Bashar al-Assads departure, but it did develop a

number o basic principles or the transition phase,

with which the Syrian Expert Houses recommenda-

tions somewhat intersect.

Tereater, in July 2012 the political opposition

in Cairo agreed on what it called Te Joint Political

Vision or the Features o the ransition Phase, as

approved by the Syrian Opposition Conerence held

under the patronage o the Arab League.2 All coner-

ence participants agreed upon this document. How-

ever, the document included several highly general

and theoretical visions that aded into history ater

the changes and transormations the Syrian revolu-

tion witnessed on the ground.

Te Day Ater Organization worked on a broader

project that presented a detailed vision or a post-As-

sad Syria in the areas o law, transition justice, and

security-sector reorm, and that outlined possi-ble oundations or the electoral and constitutional

systems.3 In spite o the generality, as compared with

the Syrian National Councils vision, nevertheless,and by virtue o the limitation o Syrian participants

in its workshops, the nal report was more like rec-

ommendations submitted rom other countries that

had undergone transition periods similar to Syrias,

without acknowledging the deep dierences in the

historical, social, and political context.

Aterward, a group o Syrians spearheaded by

the ormer Syrian deputy prime minister Abdulla

al-Dardari, through the United Nations Economic

and Social Commission or Western Asia in Beirut,developed what they called the national plan or Syr-

ias uture.4 However, it ocused primarily on recon-

struction and economic reorm or the period ater

the crisis, as al-Dardari called it, and barely men-

tioned the major political issues or which the Syrian

revolution began.

Te need to nd a unied and inclusive vision that

would be representative o all Syrians ater Assad

became a clear priority. Previous projects had played

a role in building up this vision. In addition, some o

the political parties, local councils, and revolutionaryorces presented their own ideas and initiatives. How-

ever, there would need to be practical plans, through

which the Syrian people could better express their

point o view vis--vis building a ree Syria, without

beneting any one tribal, sectarian, or political ali-

ation at the expense o another. Tere would need to

be a realistic visualization that could convince all Syr-

ians that the transition phase, despite its long dura-

tion, would nally lead them to the reedom, dignity,

and democracy or which they strive. Te internal

transormations, which overtook the countries o

the Arab Spring ater the revolutions, especially in

Egypt, clearly indicate the necessity o a common

vision among all politica l currents on the democratic

transition plan, without which the country is vulner-

able to chaos and subject to co-optation on the part o

extremist or antidemocratic orces.

Starting rom this reality, in the summer o 2012

the Syrian Center or Political and Strategic Studies

(SCPSS) began work with the goal o putting orth

an inclusive project, with a vision to develop the worko the Syrian opposition in its conrontation with the


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Assad regime, and thereater o presenting a com-

prehensive report or how to administer the transi-tion phase, starting with the overthrow o the Assad

regime and arriving at presenting clear rameworks

or building a modern country that included al l points

o view on the Syrian spectrum, and in which each

citizen was entitled to all his or her rights, reedoms,

and political participation without unjust limitations.

SCPSS marched orward with this project through

various steps, such as launching the idea o an interim

government through the conerence Managing the

ransition Phase in Syria, which met in Istanbulin 2012. At this conerence, SCPSS ounded the

Syria Expert House. Later, through other meetings,

SCPSS conrmed the importance o transitional jus-

tice during the transition phase in Syria. Final ly, the

Syrian Expert House is launching its all-inclusive

vision suggested or the transition phase in Syria with

this report, Syria ransition Roadmap.

S1 See The Transition Phase of the New Syria: Political

Administration, Transitional Justice, Security and Economics

(Al-Marhalah al-Intiqaliyah li-Suriyah al-Jadidah: Al-Idarah

al-Siyasiyah wa-al-Adalah al-Intiqaliyah wa-al-Amn wa-al-

Iqtisad), Syrian National Council, April 2012.

2 See Joint Political Vision for the Features of the Transitional

Phase as Approved by the Syrian Opposition Held Under the

Patronage of the Arab League (Al-Ruyah al-Siyasiyah al-

Mushtarakah li-Malamih al-Marhalah al-Intiqaliyah kama

Aqarraha Mutamar al-Muaradah al-Suriyah tahta Riayat

Jamiat al-Duwal al-Arabiyah), Cairo, July 2012.

3 See Final Report: The Day After Project: Supporting the

Democratic Transition of Authority in Syria, Washington,

2012.

4 See The National Plan for Syrias Future: A Preliminary

Report (Al-Khittah al-Wataniyah li-Mustaqbal Suriyah,

December 2012.


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chapter 1Managing the ransition in Syria

on October 2931, 2012, the Syrian Center or

Political and Strategic Studies (SCPSS) held its

rst conerence or building a vision o the Syrian

transition in Istanbul. Tere were mixed eelings at

the conerence. Despite the clear excitement about

potential results, there was pain and sadness over the

loss o one o the conerence participants, the activist

Qasim al-Diri, who had been killed a ew days beorein Idlib. Te conerence carried the name o Qasim

al-Diri in commemoration.

More than 250 participants attended the meeting,

representing more than 18 political groups in Syria,

including the Syrian National Council, the Kurdish

National Council, the Assyrian Democratic Orga-

nization, the urkmen Democratic Movement, the

Kurdish Future Movement in Syria, the Free Syrian

Judicial Council, the Damascus Declaration, the

Syrian Revolution General Commission, Local Coor-

dinating Committees, the Sham Scholar Association,the Syrian Reorm Assembly, the National Change

Movement, and the Arab ribal Council. Syrians

representing political, revolutionary, and military

orces rom Aleppo, Homs, Idlib, Deir al-Zour, and

the Damascus suburbs also attended, in addition to

deected ministers, diplomats, ambassadors, members

o Parliament, and independent members o the polit-

ical opposition. A top priority or the conerence was

to address the oten-repeated criticism o the exclu-

sivity o the external opposition. Hal the conerenceattendees came rom inside Syria, representing city

and town councils, the Local Coordinating Commit-

tees, revolutionary councils, the Free Syrian Army,

and military councils. Te Managing the ransition

in Syria conerence was the most inclusive gathering

o the Syrian opposition to date.

SCPSS announced the ormation o the Syrian

Expert House, which consists o six thematic work-

ing groups: constitutional and legal reorm, politicaland administrative reorm, electoral reorm, securi-

ty-sector reorm, and transitional justice and national

reconciliation.

In the constitutional reorm workshop, partici-

pants discussed points o reerence and mechanisms

or writing a new democratic constitution or Syria.

Te political and administrative reorm workshop

divided into two groups. Te rst discussed mech-

anisms or the political development o the Syrian

opposition and reorming the Syrian National Coun-

cil. In the meantime, the second group debated pos-sible orms that a pluralistic democratic system in

Syria could take in the uture. Te electoral reorm

workshop ocused primarily on the mechanisms or

stimulating and organizing political, public, and civil

participation. And participants o the security-sector

reorm workshops discussed methods o dismantling

the security apparatus and the challenges o building

a national army.

However, it quickly became clear to both coner-

ence organizers and attendees that or each topic oreorm, there was an ever-expanding list o items that


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34 | Managing the ransition in Sria

needed addressing. For example, in the constitutional

reorm workshop, although participants agreed thatthe 1950 Syrian constitution was the most appropri-

ate existing document upon which a new government

could be based, the issue o approving, applying, and

amending this document required much more con-

sideration than time allowed. All the workshop topics

would need to be considered careully and revisited in

more detail in the uture.

But the most important result o this conerence

was a call or the ormation o an opposition Syrian

government inside Syria to try to put pressure on theinternational community to give this government the

necessary support and ully delegitimize the Assad

regime. It was suggested that a national assembly

should be held, in which the Syrian National Coun-

cil would participate alongside the other revolution-

ary actions, the Free Syrian Army leadership, and

the other opposition and national blocs. Tis assem-

bly would be held inside Syrian territory, i possi-

ble, la the Syrian Conerence o 1920, the gather-

ing at which the modern Syrian state was ounded.

Tis would give legitimacy to the assembly, and theattendees would agree to orm a national government

inside Syria. However, not long ater SCPSS recom-

mended holding this National Assembly inside Syria,

successive opposition meetings were held in Novem-

ber and December 2012 in Doha under broad Arab

and international supervision or the ormation o an

inclusive opposition umbrella group. Te recommen-

dations o the conerence were presented, and it was

agreed to orm an interim government ollowing the

establishment o the National Coalition o Syrian

Revolutionary and Oppositions Forces as a rame-

work that would include all the politica l, revolution-

ary and opposition orces, whereby it could become

a national reerence or the ormation o an interim

government.

Although months passed ollowing its ormation,

the Coalition o Syrian Revolutionary and Opposi-

tions Forces ailed to overcome the ubiquitous di-

erences o the political opposition, and it became

clear that the coalition was in act another political

opposition group plagued with bickering resultingrom regional and international political intererence.

Te ormation o the interim government was dis-

rupted several times, even though the conditions orits ormation were more suitable than ever beore.

Te opportunity or the existence o the government

within Syria rather than in exile became more proba-

ble, and the Syrian people appeared to be supportive

o the idea, hoping that it would oer something di-

erent rom previous entities. However, the ormation

o the government was obstructed by regional and

international pressure, and internal disagreements

between the coalition members and the various oppo-

sition orces, thereby postponing the ormation o thegovernment on more than one occasion.

H Syi P HS WkSHPS

From May 1 to May 10, 2013, the Syrian Expert

House reconvened to once again discuss the post-

Assad political transition. Each o its thematic

working groups met or a ull two days o discussions.

Te goal was to conclude the workshops on each

thematic topic with authentically Syrian, detailed

recommendations or the political transition, whichled to this nal exhaustive report under the title

Syrian ransition Roadmap.

Cs m lw

Te participants in the Constitutional Reorm and

the Rule o Law Working Group discussed how to

attain constitutional legitimacy ater the all o the

Assad regime. Te working group unanimously

decided that a return to the Constitution o 1950,

without modication, would be the ideal solution or

achieving this legitimacy. Te 1950 constitution is the

only constitution in Syrian history that was drated

and approved by a Constitutional Assembly. It also

has received popular support, despite the presence

o some controversial articles regarding minorities

and reedom o expression. However, in the absence

o an entity with the legal authority to amend the

constitution, the Syrian Expert House recommended

that the 1950 constitution be accepted wholesale

initially, with the expectation that amendments to

the document would be the rst order o businesso a uture Constitutional Assembly, along with a


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constitutional declaration that would outline the

transition governments mandate, validity, age,and ocial appointments. A drat o this proposed

constitutional declaration is given in this reports

appendices and outlines how the transitional

government will supervise popular elections o the

members o a Constituent Assembly, which will be

responsible or drating a new Syrian constitution.

Te Syrian Expert House also identied steps or

ensuring the independence o the judiciary through

mechanisms and precise standards to protect the judi-

ciary rom executive intererence in its decisions andin its structure. Te Judicial Authority Law, which

grants excessive power to the Syrian judiciary, was also

discussed, and it was unanimously agreed that this

portion o the Syrian legal code is not conducive to

an independent and sound legal environment in Syria.

Te participants also discussed the most import-

ant laws that should be repealed or amended in

the uture transitional phase, and at the same time

warned judges about the pitalls o interering in the

legislative process. Te participants also discussed the

importance o transitional justice in Syria and studiedthe mechanisms put orth by the National Prepara-

tory Committee or ransitional Justice.

P ms m

Te stepping down o the head o the existing regime,

President Bashar al-Assad, will mark the beginning

o the transition in Syria. Tus, the Political and

Administrative Reorm Working Group discussed

several scenarios or the end o the crisis, ater which

an interim government would be ormed on the

basis o a political agreement based on the conficts

resolution. Tereore, work on two main aspects

needs to be done. Te rst is the management o the

transition phase, or the participants recommended the

establishment o constitutional and legal oundations

that would organize this phase, recommending

that the transition government suspend the 2012

constitution and return to the 1950 constitution, and

issuing a constitutional declaration dening the orm

o the transitional government, its privileges and

objectives, and election dates.

Te participants also recommended that a Con-

stituent Assembly be elected that will be chargedwith ormulating a permanent constitution or the

country by a popular vote, not by appointment. Te

Syrian Expert House also recommended that a popu-

lar reerendum be conducted on the constitution upon

its completion in order to conrm or deny the Syrian

peoples support o it.

Te second aspect was to put orth a vision or the

uture political system or Syria. Te agreement was

that it would be a parliamentary system, whereby the

government is ormed when one political party gainsa parliament majority, and this government would be

given all executive powers. It would also be subject to

the direct control o Parliament, which has the right

to hold accountable its members, question its head,

and withdraw the vote o condence rom it. Te

Syrian Expert House believes that this option will

encourage raising the standard o political action in

Syria, ensure the participation o all political orces

in managing the country, and prevent any one party

rom dominating. Tis system will also transer the

political dierences rom the street to inside Parlia-ment, which would ease the tension between the seg-

ments o society and put political rivals side by side

in one chamber. Furthermore, work must be done

to activate the role o party activity and reorm the

states institutions, because the ouster o the regime

alone would not guarantee their reorm or the ending

o the corruption that has spread within them.

lw m

Te discussion by the Electoral Law Reorm Working

Group ocused on the system o political parties

and the need to establish a system that will ensure

party plurality, giving parties a chance to actively

participate in rule, alongside the setting o standards

or any orthcoming electoral activity. Tis would

guarantee true representation o all sections o society

and ensure air participation or all Syrian provinces

and cities, whereby the elections would produce a

Parliament that truly represents the Syrian people.

A number o standards were specied or a modern

elections law in Syria, whereby this law would nul-liy current limitations that preclude the ormation o


36/238

36 | Managing the ransition in Sria

parties. Tese new restrictions and criteria or party

ormation would be conned to the parties not goingoutside the Syrian constitution, would not call or

discrimination between citizens or partition o the

country, and would advocate that these parties would

not digress rom the national interest o the Syrian

people and the Syrian country.

In exchange, a new elections system was designed

to elect a Constituent Assembly, whose number was

estimated at 290 representatives rom all Syrian

regions, upon the condition that the elections law

coincides with the party law. Te new elections lawprovides or a proportional system, as opposed to

the majority system currently practiced by the exist-

ing Assad regime. It allows the participation o all

parties and political components in governing, in

accordance with their true size on the street, instead

o granting the winning party all authority. Te pro-

portional system also provides true representation

or all minorities. In addition, this system relies on

electoral lists, preerably party-aliated ones, and

recommends that the electoral lists be open, whereby

the voter chooses his or her preerred list and rom itchooses his or her avorite candidate.

Te new system also would create thirty-two con-

stituencies instead o the teen currently specied by

the Assad regime and the Baath Party. In this case,

the smaller districts create more opportunity or local

parties with limited nancial capabilities, and oer

a better representation to the small cities and rural

areas. Te electoral districts were drawn on two bases.

Te administrative division o the Syrian country,

which divides the country s provinces into sixty-our

administrative districts, creates the smallest electoral

districts possible, based upon the condition that the

number o seats in an electoral district is not less than

our, in order to ensure the success o implementing

the proportional system.

Te new system proposed by the Syrian Expert

House also ensures the active participation or both

genders in the Constituent Assembly, whereby this

system ensures through various specic mechanisms

the representation o women, commensurate with

their role in society. Te new system also urges allparties and currents participating in the elections to

oer part o their lists to persons with special needs,

thus giving them the chance or political participa-tion in making Syrias uture.

s S Ss

Syrians know the large impact the present Syrian

security apparatus makes on their political, social,

and economic lie. Tereore, the dismantling and

rebuilding o this apparatus is considered, without

exception, a vital priority or all Syrians. Tereore,

the Restructuring the Security Services Working

Group ormulated a vision or the uture securitysystem, so that it will be coordinated with the new

reality resulting rom the revolution. Te Syrian

Expert House recognizes the necessity o orming a

national security council, under the leadership o the

ministers o deense and the interior, and the heads o

the army and internal security orces. Tese security

apparatuses must be dissolved, and some o them

should merge with a new civilian security apparatus.

Te internal security orces apparatus should be

restructured, with a ocus on its proessionalism,

alongside the ormation o cleansing committees, inorder to rid the security apparatus o guilty, corrupt,

and incompetent sta members.

Regarding the challenges o building a new

national army in Syria, there were extensive discus-

sions about its composition and the structuring o the

general sta. Te various leaders and representatives

o military units in the Free Syrian Army gave a brie-

ing to the Syrian Expert House o the situation in the

eld in their ronts, which included a ull explanation

o the liberated and nonliberated areas, alongside a

description o the ghting ormations rom the num-

bers, capabilities, and the ormations names stand-

points. Tere was an extensive discussion about the

reality on the ground in the various ronts, the role

o the general sta, and the possibility o raising the

standard o military work and increasing coordina-

tion between the ghting ormations and the ronts.

In addition, some o the high-ranking ocers who

have deected rom the regime made comments about

the ormation o the general sta and its ramework.

Tey demanded that all the battal ions and brigadesthat are active on the ground coordinate with them


37/238


in order to orm the nucleus o a modern national

army in the uture. Clear basics or the building amodern army would be established, including practi-

cal mechanisms or disarmament upon completion o

the armed struggle and the beginning o transitional

operations. In addition, modern and advanced train-

ing programs must be put in place or the military

cadres belonging to the Syrian armed orces ater the

all o the regime. Tis would guarantee a high level

o proessionalism and a sound belie in the protec-

tion o the country and its citizens, with noninringe-

ment on rights and reedoms seen to be the true dutyo these apparatuses and orces.

s Js

On January 2627, 2013, SCPSS held a conerence

in Istanbul with the name ransitional Justice in

Syria: Accountability and Reconciliation. More than

120 Syrian and international participants attended

the two days o panels and discussions on possible

transitional justice and reconciliation programs to be

conducted in postconfict Syria. Representatives roma number o amilies who had lost their sons during

the revolution attended. In addition, representatives

o the Syrian political opposition included those rom

the National Coalition, the Syrian National Council,

the Kurdish National Council, and other opposition

groups. A large number o human rights activists,

deected judges, and attorneys also attended, as

did a group o experts in the eld o transitional

justice rom international organizations and various

academic institutions, who presented their personal

and proessional experiences with postconfict

transitional justice programs in various countries.

On the last day o the conerence, SCPSS

announced the establishment o two new entities. Te

National Preparatory Committee or ransitional

Justice was ormed to build programs and uture plans

or transitional justice in Syria. Committee members

include judges, lawyers, ormer political prisoners,

and Syrian human rights activists. An international

advisory board, made up o panelists rom the ran-

sitional Justice in Syria Conerence, will consult andwork with the Syrian members o the committee. Te

other entity, the Associa

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