Lawyers' Union, Social Justice Councils reject "Constitutional Declaration"

In an official statement, the Lawyers' Union and Social Justice Councils in North and East Syria today condemned the "Constitutional Declaration" issued by the Damascus authorities.

The statement was delivered before the Court of Justice in Freedom Square in the city of Hasakah in al-Jazira Canton, in the presence of dozens of lawyers and judges from the region, by the co-chair of the Lawyers' Union in North and East Syria, Bashira Jamal al-Din.

The statement read: "We, the Lawyers' Union and the Social Justice Councils in North and East Syria, declare our categorical rejection of the constitutional declaration issued by the interim government in Damascus, in line with the principles of democracy, justice, and human rights for which we are fighting."

The statement added that "any constitution must be an expression of the will of the Syrian people in all its components, and must be built on foundations that ensure the effective participation of all in decision-making without exclusion or marginalization."

It emphasized that this constitutional declaration "enshrines a centralized system that grants the executive authority absolute powers, while restricting political activity and obstructing the formation of parties and civil society organizations, thus impeding the path to democratic transformation that the Syrian people aspire to."

The statement continued by saying that the declaration "ignores clear and effective mechanisms for transitional justice, which exacerbates the national crisis and leaves the wounds of the past open without real healing."

The statement emphasized that "any constitutional declaration must be the product of genuine national consensus, reflecting the will of all Syrian components, and not a unilaterally imposed project."

The statement called for "reformulating the Constitutional Declaration to include a fair distribution of power, guarantee freedom of political activity, and define the rights of all Syrian components without exception."

The statement also called for the adoption of "democratic decentralized governance" with clear and effective mechanisms for achieving transitional justice, including holding accountable those responsible for violations and building a future based on justice and equality.

Concluding the statement, Bashira Jamal al-Din, co-chair of the Lawyers' Union in North and East Syria, said: "Syria is a homeland for all its people, and we will not accept the reproduction of the tyranny regime in any form. We affirm that Syria's future must be built on the foundations of democracy, justice, and equality, and any constitution that does not reflect these principles will remain rejected by the Syrian people."

T/ S

ANHA