ODFS Review: February to August 2010

Our campaign to bring democracy and freedom to the people of Syria is one that stretches across the divides of party politics, and this review of the last 6 months will demonstrate that we have earned the support of high profile figures and organisations from across the political spectrum here in the UK, and across Europe. This document will also report on the activities of the ODFS with regards to speeches, conferences, campaigns, press releases and future opportunities.

One of our main objectives for this year was to introduce ourselves to British parliamentarians and to make them aware of the problems in Syria, such as:

- The restricted media and censored internet

- The dangerous alliance with Iran

- Human rights abuses and political oppression

We have had dozens of meetings and dinners with British MPs, both newly elected and senior Members. We are pleased to be able to report that over the course of the last six months ODFS Director, Ribal al Assad, has had substantive meetings with:

- Alan Keen MP

- Alan Johnson MP, then Home Secretary

- Roger Godsiff MP

- Sadiq Khan MP

- Brooks Newmark MP, Government Minister

- Keith Simpson MP

- Mike Gapes MP

- Gordon Henderson MP

- Robert Walter MP

- John Hayes MP, Government Minister

- Dominic Raab MP

- Chris Kelly MP

- James Wharton MP

- Penny Mordaunt MP

- Nadine Dorries MP

- Brian Binley MP

- Julian Brazier MP

- Daniel Kawczynski MP

- Louise Ellman MP

- Mark Pritchard MP

It is our pleasure to report that these meetings were fruitful and positive. We can also report that, with the help of the MPs we have met, a Parliamentary Campaign Group for Freedom in Syria will soon be launched. The ODFS will advise and work closely with this campaign group, as we work to promote freedom, democracy and prosperity in Syria.

In addition to meeting Members of Parliament, we have also been working with Members of the House of Lords, Members of the European Parliament and Parliamentarians from European countries. We have been meeting former UK Government Ministers, Lords with an interest or background in foreign affairs and the Middle East, MEPs who work in foreign affairs with the European Union and Parliamentarians who have an interest in the media, freedom and development.

Such meetings have included:

- Lord Janner

- Lord Hamilton

- Lord Anderson

- Lord Hylton

- Lord Stone

- Belgian MP, Denis Ducarme

- German MP, Ernst-Ewald Roth

- German MP, Horst Klee

- Michael Gahler MEP

- Charles Tannock MEP, Conservative Euro spokesman on Foreign Affairs

- EU Mashreq Delegation member, Antonyia Parvanova MEP

- EU Mashreq Delegation member, Sajjad Karim MEP

Alongside the numerous meetings that the ODFS participates in, our Director, Ribal al Assad, is a frequent guest speaker at high profile political and diplomatic events in London. Ribal has spoken on various topics including press freedoms in Syria, the prospects of Syrian democracy, the harmful influence of Iran in the region, human rights in Syria, extremism, economic development and peace in the Middle East. Among the audience at such talks were senior politicians, diplomats, journalists, policy makers and opinion formers. Ribal has spoken at:

- The Next Century Foundation

- The Legatum Institute

- The Rotary Club

- The European-Atlantic Club

- The Savile Club

- The Mid-Atlantic Club

Platforms such as the ones named above provide the ODFS with an excellent opportunity to make the case for democratic renewal in Syria and it is also a valuable chance to talk directly to many of the UK’s most influential policy makers and thought leaders.

Ribal is gaining a reputation as an informed and passionate speaker on Syria, the Middle East and human rights. Speaking engagements confirmed for the coming months include:

- The Oxford University International Relations Society, where Ribal will speak on the debate surrounding extremism and human rights. He will be joined by Professor Sir Adam Roberts.

- The Reform Club, where past speakers have included distinguished statesman, world leaders, economists, philosophers and distinguished military figures.

Ribal has also been invited to address various committees in the European Parliament, including the Human Rights Committee, where he will talk about Syria’s treatment of journalists and political opposition.

The ODFS has also been very active in launching and supporting campaigns concerning freedom and development in Syria. ODFS Director, Ribal al Assad, has travelled extensively in Europe to discuss the issue of media freedoms. He has had meetings with various European broadcasters on this issue, and is helping to keep up the pressure on the Syrian authorities with regards to their control of the media.

ODFS campaigns are attracting attention from the UK Foreign Office. As a recent press release noted,

Ribal Al-Assad, Director of the Organisation for Democracy and Freedom in Syria, said:

"I join the British and American Governments, and Amnesty International in condemning the jailing of Muhannad Al Hassani and call on the Syrian regime to overturn his conviction and release him and all other political prisoners immediately.

“Mr Hassani's imprisonment shows that the Syrian regime does not respect basic international human rights standards for its citizens. I urge the regime to allow freedom of expression and association. This will help Syria move towards genuine democracy and freedom in a peaceful and transitional way.”

Echoing Ribal al Assad’s calls, the UK Foreign Office has said:

"The UK deeply regrets this sentence and urges the Syrian government to overturn the decision and release Al Hassani. We remain seriously concerned about the human rights situation in Syria and call on the Syrian government to fulfill all of its human rights obligations, and allow its citizens to practice the right to freedom of expression without fear of arbitrary arrest, intimidation and imprisonment.”

Ribal has also commented on various reports and research by leading human rights charities and non-governmental organisations. The Freedom House report of June 2010 identified Syria as one of the worst abusers of human rights. Related to this, the ODFS added its voice to the growing international concern over the arrest and detainment of the human rights lawyers and democracy activists in Syria.

The landmark report on Syria of July 2010, by Human Rights Watch, was welcomed by the ODFS, and Ribal added his personal support to their call for the Syrian regime to keep its promises relating to political freedoms.

Most recently, the ODFS has strongly endorsed an open letter from the Committee to Protect Journalists, which was deeply critical of Syria’s treatment of journalists who criticise the regime.

The ODFS will continue to support the work of other organisations in this field, and will begin its own program of research into human rights abuses and the constraint of political and personal freedoms.

Commenting on the last 6 months, Ribal al Assad said:

“It’s a been a very busy and deeply rewarding 6 months for the ODFS, and I would like to thank all of our staff and supporters for their tireless efforts in promoting democracy and freedom.

"We will be even busier over the next 6 months, and I am delighted to have the support of so many respected politicians from across Europe.

We will not slow down and we will not relent in our campaign to promote human freedom, political development and Middle East peace.”