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Syria TranSiTion
roadmap
Syi C PliiCl SgiC SiS
Syi P HS
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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. + 1 202-828-1228ino@scpss.org
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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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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SyRIA RANSIION ROADMAP | 15
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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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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SyRIA RANSIION ROADMAP | 17
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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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
Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Syrian National Council
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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SyRIA RANSIION ROADMAP | 21
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
and Opposition Forces
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
Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Syrian
National Council
Ghanem Hassan political activist
Ghassan al-Najjar Syrian Reorm rend
Ghassan Hitto ormer prime minister, Interim Government, National Coalition or
Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces
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
and Opposition Forces
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
and Opposition Forces
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
and Opposition Forces
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
and Opposition Forces
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
Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Syrian National Council
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
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SyRIA RANSIION ROADMAP | 25
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
Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces
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
Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Syrian National Council
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
Revolutionary and Opposition Forces
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
Revolutionary and Opposition Forces
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
Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Syrian National Council
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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SyRIA RANSIION ROADMAP | 27
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
Revolutionary and Opposition Forces
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
Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Syrian National Council
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
Coalition or Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Syrian
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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SyRIA RANSIION ROADMAP | 31
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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SyRIA RANSIION ROADMAP | 35
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
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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
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SyRIA RANSIION ROADMAP | 37
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