Who is monitoring the fate of democracy in Syria?

Introduction:

On November 29, 2025, the Secretary General of Amnesty International stated that the new authorities in Syria, in the context of the new political phase following the collapse of the previous regime, had taken steps towards reform, transitional justice, and reconciliation.

The organization noted public statements regarding the intention to introduce legal reform projects, form transitional justice committees, and allow limited access for independent experts and international human rights organizations.

However, Amnesty stressed that these steps were positive but not profound, and that Syria still needed to build a genuine democracy.

From “Cosmetic Reform” to “The Rule of Law”: Why Does the Difference Matter?

Distinguishing between reform steps and political transition is a national imperative.

Reform, at its most basic level, may mean changing the names of entities, enacting new laws, or establishing committees under the umbrella of “transitional justice.” Political transformation means building independent institutions, separating powers, ensuring genuine accountability for those responsible for violations, guaranteeing freedom of expression, broad popular participation, and upholding human rights without discrimination.

In Syria, human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have documented grave violations since 2011, including enforced disappearances, torture, killings, displacement, and war crimes committed against hundreds of thousands of citizens from all walks of life.

If we are content with superficial reforms, the practices of the previous authoritarian state may simply be reproduced under different guises, posing a serious threat to building a truly sovereign state that respects the rights of Syrians.

Welcoming Current Steps… With Conditions and Close Monitoring:

The recognition of reform attempts by international human rights organizations appears to be a valuable sign because it:

1. Officially acknowledges that Syria has endured a period of widespread violations, which is essential to beginning the countdown to a definitive end to violations and impunity.
2. Sets international expectations for the authorities: justice, truth, reparations, and a transparent process for holding those responsible for violations accountable.
3. Enabling Syrian civil society, both inside and outside the country, to demand the rights of victims, document abuses, participate in transitional justice, and ensure that fundamental rights remain protected.
4. However, welcoming all of this is conditional on not using these statements as a cover for reproducing a previous repressive system. The potential risks of treating reform as merely a facade are numerous, perhaps the most significant being:
   The reproduction of the previous authoritarian state under new guises, the possibility of some figures associated with the former regime remaining in influential positions, and attempts to evade past responsibilities without genuine accountability.
5. Impunity: If genuine legal proceedings are not followed, evidence is not preserved, and victims’ right to a fair trial is not respected, some perpetrators may escape accountability. The continuation of this culture threatens the stability of the new state and increases the likelihood of repeated violations.
6. Exploiting legal frameworks to restrict freedoms: It is possible to enact draconian laws under the pretext of “protecting security” or “combating terrorism,” which reverts to repression in the name of the law. This undermines freedom of expression, freedom of political organization, and freedom of the press, and hinders the development of a vibrant civil society.

The Syrian Future Movement’s Standards for Genuine Reform and Building a Sustainable State:

Based on the above, the Syrian Future Movement presents to the public, the transitional authority, the international community, and all national forces, non-negotiable standards to guarantee a transition to a healthy, civil state:

Justice and Accountability:

• Opening the files of human rights violations from 2011 to the present.
• Public, fair, and civil trials, in accordance with international law standards.
• No reliance on emergency courts or exceptional laws as a pretext for expediting or politicizing the process.
• Guaranteeing the right of victims to file claims, receive protection, compensation, and have their rights restored.

Truth and Documentation:

• Allowing independent fact-finding committees and human rights organizations to inspect prisons, detention centers, records, and testimonies of the disappeared.
• Preserving documentary evidence, testimonies, and recordings without destruction or falsification.
• Guaranteeing freedom of the media and press, so that the public can know the truth.

Institutional Reform:

• Restructuring the security and judicial apparatuses, free from the legacy of the former regime.
• Enact legislation protecting fundamental rights such as freedom of association, political organization, assembly, and the press; equal rights; and the protection of minorities.
• Build independent judicial institutions, an effective public prosecution service, legal associations, a national legislative council, and a national human rights commission.

Achieve comprehensive national reconciliation and popular participation:

• Draft a national charter with the participation of local communities, war victims, displaced persons, and members of all groups.
• Guarantee the right of return for those who lost their homes and work towards fair compensation.
• Respect cultural, religious, and sectarian diversity under the umbrella of equal citizenship.

Establish a genuine democracy, or what I have proposed as “consultative democracy,” with real civil rights:

• Work towards holding free and fair elections under local and international supervision.
• Guarantee multi-party politics, organized political activity, and freedom of opinion and expression.
• Protect freedom of expression, the press, and human rights, and end all forms of security or sectarian repression.

International Support for Accountability and Reconstruction:

• We call upon the international community to provide technical and legal support for building judicial institutions, conducting independent investigations, training judges and lawyers, and supporting civil society.
• We call for the establishment of mechanisms to prosecute perpetrators of war crimes if local authorities evade accountability.
• We call for linking reconstruction to mechanisms of justice and the restoration of rights, not to the perpetuation of corruption.

We in the Syrian Future Movement consider this stage a historic opportunity to build Syria on just and democratic foundations. We recognize that the path is fraught with dangers, and therefore declare our position as follows:

We welcome initiatives that promise reform and justice, provided they are serious and transparent.

We reject any superficial reform used as a cover to maintain the same security or political networks as before.

We affirm the victims’ right to justice, transparency, and compensation without any compromise.

We offer the Syrian Future Movement’s commitment to being a partner in building the state by supporting institutional reform, protecting rights, and strengthening civil society within a comprehensive national vision.

We call on the international community to commit to supporting Syria at this stage, not only through immediate interests, but also through supporting the building of real institutions, fair trials, and human rights protection mechanisms.

Conclusion:

Amnesty International’s statement of November 29–30, 2025, is not merely a human rights report, but rather a warning, a caution, and an opportunity all at once.

Syria today stands at a crossroads! It is either a state of law built on justice and dignity, or a recycled version of the old regime disguised as superficial, soulless reform.

The Syrian Future Movement consciously and responsibly chooses to stand with the state built on:

• Justice, not impunity
• Truth, not obfuscation
• Participation, not domination
• Dignity, not arrogance

Based on these principles, we call upon all Syrians, from all regions and backgrounds, to embrace this vision not just in words, but through monitoring, accountability, and civic and political participation.

The success of the transitional period will not be measured by statements or impressions, but by the extent of justice achieved, the depth of institutions built, and the genuineness of popular participation in shaping the future.