Enab Baladi – Nouran al-Samman

“I used to fear expressing my opinion even to myself; fear ruled my life, and now I can talk in front of everyone without hesitation.”

This is how Muhammad described his experience in facing the repression and fear that dominated his life for decades, before he was able to regain his freedom after the fall of the Syrian regime.

Muhammad’s situation reflects that of hundreds of thousands of Syrians who lived under systematic oppression for decades, lacking the most basic rights to express their opinions since the arrival of former President Hafez al-Assad to power, and its continuation during the reign of his ousted son, Bashar al-Assad, who repressed freedoms through imprisonment, torture, and enforced disappearance of anyone who attempted to break the wall of silence.

Transformations after the fall of the regime

Muhammad’s discourse to Enab Baladi reflects the transformation that Syrian society began to witness after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad, extending beyond opponents to former supporters, who have become more open to expressing their opinions and criticizing the reality.

Sarah, a young woman residing in Damascus, said that freedom of expression “was not available during the era of al-Assad,” adding, “We were afraid to like social media posts out of fear of accountability.”

She pointed out that the prohibited topics included issues like corruption and the economic situation, which made fear dominate the lives of Syrians.

Noor, another resident in Damascus, spoke of the repressive culture that prevailed in society, stating that “expressing an opinion, even as an idea, never crossed our minds; we grew up in a community filled with oppression, and everyone in a position of authority treats others with disdain,” considering that this pattern of “superiority” was entrenched by the regime.

Noor indicated in her conversation with Enab Baladi that her biggest dream was the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, which was finally fulfilled.

As for Salma, a former journalist residing in Damascus, she described the transformations in society as “the complete opposite of what we lived.” She added that the walls that used to have “ears” no longer exist.

“After decades of muzzling mouths, we are now looking for the words we did not dare to say,” Salma said, adding that a community that lived in repression for half a century needs time to absorb what is happening.

She added that the costs of freedom are “difficult and exhausting,” as she avoided uttering any phrase after reading in prison literature what happens in the tyrant’s dungeons.

Carefully chosen words were spoken in homes or among friends in Syria for fear that they would reach the ears of a watcher or informant.

“In the past, the families of detainees lived in silence out of fear of consequences, but after the fall of al-Assad, they can now speak openly and demand to know their fate,” said Riham, a law student at the University of Damascus.

She indicated that the change also affected families that were afraid even to mention the names of their detained sons.

Syrian virtual space has turned green

Social media has become a central platform for expressing opinions and revealing violations since the fall of al-Assad on December 8.

Thousands of posts and videos spread on social media of Syrian individuals expressing their freedom with the revolution flag that they feared to show themselves with.

Muhammad believes that these platforms have helped “break the barrier of fear,” as Syrians today freely publish their opinions and communicate with each other inside and outside the country.

Salma agrees with Muhammad, saying that she does not know “where this embrace of the other opinion came from, especially through social media; perhaps it is a feeling of gratitude for the freedom we finally obtained.”

Despite the radical transformations in Syrian society, the road to justice is still long, as Riham sees, confirming that “the people will not rest until justice is achieved,” calling on the international court to hold accountable all those who committed crimes during decades of oppression.

In a study prepared by the Omran Center for Strategic Studies titled “Freedom of Media, Expression, and Opinion and the Commitment of the Syrian Regime to it,” the Syrian regime has not adhered to the guarantees of freedom of media and expression stipulated in the international agreements signed by previous Syrian governments.

The study points out that the regime’s security structure relies on intervening in individuals’ lives, monitoring their movements, and suppressing their freedoms.

It shows that the regime cannot survive without these interventions, which are considered an essential element of its continuity.

A heavy legacy of repression and fear

When Bashar al-Assad took power following his father Hafez al-Assad in July 2000, many Syrians were optimistic about a potential improvement in the state of human rights.

Promises of political and economic openness emerged during a period known as “Damascus Spring,” but those hopes soon turned to disappointment as repression escalated, targeting anyone who demanded freedom of expression or announced any form of rejection or protest against the regime’s practices.

The authorities launched intensive campaigns against political activists and journalists, and repression extended to intellectuals and writers.

Strict restrictions were imposed on independent newspapers and magazines, political gatherings were banned, and electronic monitoring networks were created to track any content that criticizes the regime on social media, despite its limited spread at the time.

Publicly speaking out against the regime became not just a political challenge but an existential threat to the freedom or even life of any Syrian citizen.

According to human rights reports, including those from the Human Rights Watch (HRW), the role of the Syrian intelligence services was revealed as a central tool for enforcing control.

Despite the deteriorating reality, the Syrian revolution in 2011 revived a new spark of hope, with the first chant in Syrian streets being “Freedom!”, which rekindled the dream of Syrians to express their opinions without fear.

From the womb of this revolution, independent media platforms emerged, managed by Syrians from inside and outside the country, seeking to provide an alternative narrative to the official version that the regime has long monopolized.

According to a report issued on December 12 of this year by the Human Rights Watch, following the fall of Bashar al-Assad, the ruling of the Baath party for more than 50 years left a horrific legacy of violations.

During the reign of ousted president Bashar al-Assad, which lasted 24 years, the Syrian government committed widespread violations, including arbitrary arrests, torture, enforced disappearance, the horrific use of chemical weapons, using starvation as a weapon of war, and indiscriminate attacks on civilians and infrastructure.