Today marks the forty-sixth anniversary since the state of emergency was declared in our country, Syria. Due to this emergency state, Syria has been transformed into an oppressive police-like regime, and individual and general freedoms have been violated and reduced to the lowest levels. Political rights have also been monopolised for the benefit of one group whilst other parties have been forbidden except those that revolve in the orbit of the ruling regime. Thousands have disappeared in the Syrian prisons, as well as tens of thousands having been killed in massacres and during painful events which the country witnessed due to the oppressive laws enforced on the country and the widespread practise of torture, all of which has stripped Syrian citizens of their dignity.
Elections have also been turned into grand celebrations and conferences on which millions are being lavished in order to pledge and test allegiance, and to make a bloody stamp for one candidate nominated by one party which has monopolised the state and tailored constitution to its needs.
During half a century of emergency laws Syria has witnessed sharp and dangerous repercussions on the human, citizen, economy, values and freedom levels…and it has lagged behind other striving nations despite its vast resources and potential in its values, society, history and heritage.
On this painful occasion, the Syrian Human Rights Committee (SHRC) does not see any light at the end of the dark tunnel in which the country has been living except through its entrance into real democracy, political pluralism, a return to the parliamentarian and constitutional governance, peaceful competition for governance, respect for freedom and choice and human rights, the freezing of the security intelligence apparatus and the specifying the role it plays, putting an end to all arbitrary arrests and stifling oppression that strangles the necks of all Syrian citizens. SHRC calls all citizens to work hard to reach this aim which wholly deserves action and sacrifice.

Syrian Human Rights Committee
8/3/2009