The struggle for democracy and freedom in Syria is as old as the Ba'th dictatorship itself. Since 1963 there have been brave men and women who have risked their lives to campaign peacefully for a return to democratic rule in Syria and the reinstatement of a constitution which respects human rights and upholds civil liberties.

That noble struggle was marred by violence in 1980s which led to wide-scale clampdown on dissent by the Ba'th regime using the much-feared secret police. As a result many of the democratic movement's figureheads were arrested, some never to emerge from jail alive.

The First Steps

The death of the dictator Hafiz Assad in June 2000 gave a glimmer of hope that a process of political reform may be about to begin, however tentatively. Intense political and social debate flourished as groups of like-minded people met in private houses to speak openly about the depressing state of affairs in their country and ways to redress them.

Syrian opposition parties, most operating illegally, were instrumental in orchestrating the growing voices demanding democratic change. This period, marked by the spread of political salons which developed into regulat forums for open debate, extended from June 2000 till the autumn of 2001 and became known as the Damascus Spring.

That Spring turned into a harsh winter however, as the regime resorted to its tried and tested methods of repression. The forums were forcibly closed down and many of the key organizers imprisoned. Riad Seif was one of them.

Damascus Declaration

The Syrian opposition never gave up. On October 2005 a number of opposition parties and independent figures signed a document called the Damascus Declaration for National Democratic Change. It was a set of principles designed to define the course of the democratic movement in Syria and to outline the nature of the state post-Ba'th. This document would form the intellectual basis for the Syrian democratic movement as a whole.

The Declaration rejected all forms of "cosmetic, partial, or circumspect reform by the current regime". It called for "the opening of channels for a comprehensive and equitable national dialogue among all the sections of the Syrian people." In order to avoid charges of unpatriotism which are usually levelled at the opposition, the Declaration rejected change "that is brought from abroad" while stressed "the country's independence and territorial integrity."

The Damascus Declaration also sought to encourage initiatives for the re-engagement of society with politics through the formation of committees, salons, forums, and bodies, locally and throughout the country, to organize cultural, social, political, and economic activities. It also called for a "comprehensive national accord between opposition forces based on a common and independent program, which charts the nature of the transformation to a democratic Syria."

The Damascus Declaration regarded that democracy can be brought into existence with "the election of a Constituent Assembly that draws up a new Constitution for the country that foils adventurers and extremists, and that guarantees the separation of powers, safeguards the independence of the judiciary, and achieves national integration by consolidating the principle of citizenship."

The ultimate goal of the Damascus Declaration was for the "the holding of free and honest parliamentary elections that produce a fully legitimate national regime that governs the country in accordance with the Constitution and the laws that are in force, and on the basis of the view of the political majority and its program."

Click here for official website of the Damascus Declaration for National Democratic Change

The chief driving force of the Damascus Declaration was Riad Seif, the ex-parliamentary deputy and successful industrialist and businessman who had endured five years in jail (2001-2005) for exposing a corruption case involving Bashar Assad's cousin.

The Damascus Declaration quickly achieved recognition as the chief umbrella group for all Syrian oppositionists. Its demands were seen to be moderate and in-keeping with nationalist principles. Its chief proponents were respected and "clean" figures who were never embroiled in violence or corruption. The Damascus Declaration was the ideal vehicle to unite opposition forces and drive the democratic movement forward.

In May 2006 the Movement for Justice and Development took the important step of signing the Damascus Declaration. It had thereby become bound by its principles for a free, democratic and pluralist Syria.

The move was significant on many levels, not least because of the resources and contacts that the MJD had carefully cultivated were invested in making the Damascus Declaration a stronger and more representative body. The MJD's presence inside and outside Syria also meant that the Damascus Declaration was able to overcome the regime-imposed policy of regional and international isolation.

The National Council

Some had complained that the Damascus Declaration was just that – a declaration, whose signatories were bound only by loose organizational ties and nothing more than a vague acceptance of the Declaration's principles. This led to regime organs, and some in the opposition camp, to dismiss the Damascus Declaration as a talking shop.

Whilst these charges were unfair given the extremely difficult circumstances endured by oppositionists inside Syria, there was a feeling that the Declaration needed to "up its game" and become more dynamic. At about this time, Riad Seif and other Damascus Declaration leaders were discretely touring the country, meeting with influential people and discussing how to take the democratic movement forward.

The result of meetings and consultations between all opposition sides was an understanding that the Damascus Declaration needed to move on to a new stage of opposition, one which will be marked by the consolidation of the Damascus Declaration's legitimacy as a bona fide representative of the will of the Syrian people.

After several failed attempts by the Syrian regime using its numerous secret police branches to intimidate leading oppositionists, a mass-meeting was held on 1 December 2007 at the home of Riad Seif. It was attended by 163 oppositionists, some representing others who could not make it to the meeting. The total number of oppositionists who were present or were deputized numbered 270.

The aim of the meeting was to launch the National Council, a body composed of those 270. The National Council included members drawn from every Syrian province and from every sect, ethnic group and political leaning including leftists, liberals, conservatives, Kurds and moderate Islamists.

The idea of the National Council was to act as a legitimizing body for the policies and activities of the political forces signed up to the Damascus Declaration. Some have identified it, not incorrectly, as a kind of shadow parliament to the B'ath-dominated and unrepresentative People's Assembly. The National Council would have the final say in decisions of strategic importance. Those groups signed up to the Damascus Declaration would have to abide by its democraticaly-taken decisions.

Click here to read the MJD's statement on the formation of the National Council

To stress its progressive nature, the National Council voted a woman, Dr. Fida al-Hawrani, as its president.

The National Council members also elected a 17-person General Secretariat to run its day-to-day affairs. This was a strong indication that the mood in the Syrian opposition was towards forming a working alternative to the regime. The General Secretariat was headed by Riad Seif, who was received unanimous support. It included among its members Muslims, Christians, Alawis and Kurds. It also brought to the fore a new generation of opposition leaders which was more in-tune with the demands of modern politics.

The General Secretariat members are:

Riad Seif, Ali al-Abdallah, Nawaf al-Bashir, Riad al-Turk, Muwafaq Neirbia, Suleiman Shummar, Samir Nashar, Yasser al-Eiti, Jibr al-Shufi, Nada al-Khush, Abdul-Ghani Ayash, Walid al-Bunni, Ghassan Najar, Abdul-Karim al-Dahak, in addition to two Kurds and one Assyria.

By any stretch of the imagination this was a giant leap for the democratic movement in Syria. No one had thought it possible that often disparate groups would get together and unite around not only a single agenda, but a democratic process which began with the National Council and, it is hoped, could grow to encompass the entire country.

The Clampdown

The Syrian regime was incensed by the opposition's open challenge. The Damascus Declaration members had not only congregated, they had created a representative body and voted-in a new and effective leadership.

The backlash began soon after the meeting of 1 December was held. On 9 December 30 National Council members were arrested and their homes raided. Some were released but many remained in custody. Over the following days more National Council members were arrested including Dr Yassir al-Eiti, who was also a member of the General Secretariat.

Akram al-Bunni, one of the National Council members, told one Western journalist: "They're concerned about public opinion. They don’t want anyone, internationally or internally, to see that there are public figures who might be an alternative to the regime."

The arrests were made by the State Security Service, one of the most notorious secret police branches in Syria. Their track record in arbitrary arrest and torture has been documented by a number of international human rights organization including Amnesty International.

Click here to read Amnesty International's 2007 human rights report on Syria.

The move by the Syrian regime to clampdown on dissent drew worldwide condemnation. A number of European Parliament members held a press conference on 12 December to express their outrage at the arrests.

Click here to read the statement issued by the EPP-ED group in the European Parliament.

President Bush issued a statement on 14 December condemning the arrests and calling for the immediate release of opposition activists. He also described the formation of the National Council as "an encouraging sign to all people who support freedom and democracy."

Click here to read the White House statement.

Advocacy group Freedom House issued a press release entitled "Syrian activists under siege", in which it accused the regime of "trying to conjure up some legal fiction to mask its blatant repression of any independent expression."

Click here to read the Freedom House press release.

The Trial

With the arrest of Marwan al-Ush on 15 January 08 the total number of Damascus Declaration leaders who remained in detention numbered eleven. They were:

2- Weakening the national morale and damaging the state's prestige.