EU impose sanctions
European Union states impose sanctions on Assad’s wife, Asma. Foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on also impose asset freezes and bans on travel to the EU on several other family members including Assad’s mother, and bans European companies from doing business with two additional Syrian entities. EU diplomat:
She is on the list. It’s the whole clan,
Because the Syrian first lady is a British national she cannot be prevented from entering the UK, but she cannot enter then other 26 EU states.
Assad meets Annan
U.N. envoy Annan meets with Assad in Damascus during a mission trying to bring a halt to fighting and arrange talks between the two sides to end the country’s conflict. Assad tells Annan that any political dialogue is doomed to fail
as long as there are armed terrorist groups that work to spread anarchy and destabilize the country,
The regime blames terrorists acting out a foreign conspiracy for the uprising, not protesters seeking change. The opposition rejects dialogue, saying it is impossible to talk to Assad’s regime.
Walters interview
In an interview with Walters, Assad denies he is responsible for the violence engulfing his country and distances himself from the behavior of his armed forces.
They are not my forces. They are forces for the government. I don’t own them. I’m president. I don’t own the country. So they are not my forces…Every brute reaction was by an individual, not by an institution, that’s what you have to know, There is a difference between having a policy to crack down and between having some mistakes committed by some officials. There is a big difference. We don’t kill, It’s impossible for anyone in this state to give orders to kill. No government in the world kills its people, unless it’s led by a crazy person,
Jordan’s king calls for resignation
King Abdullah becomes the first Arab leader to openly say President Assad should stand down, urging Assad to begin talks on an orderly transition of power and warning there will be more of the same if whoever replaces him does not change the status quo.
If Bashar has the interest of his country [at heart] he would step down, but he would also create an ability to reach out and start a new phase of Syrian political life. That’s the only way I would see it work and I don’t think people are asking that question.
Syria suspended from Arab League
An emergency session of 22 Arab League members in Cairo suspends Syria from the League until it implements the terms of a peace deal to stop government crackdowns on pro-democracy protests. The league also agree to impose economic and political sanctions and appeals to its member states to withdraw their ambassadors from Damascus. 18 countries back the decision while Yemen, Lebanon and Syria vote against. Iraq abstains. Qatari prime minister:
Syria is a dear country for all of us and it pains us to make this decision. We hope there will be a brave move from Syria to stop the violence and begin a real dialogue toward real reform…We were criticised for taking a long time but this was out of our concern for Syria. We needed to have a majority to approve those decisions. We are calling all Syrian opposition parties to a meeting at the Arab League headquarters to agree a unified vision for the transitional period.
However he says the vote does not signal military intervention. He also calls on the Syrian army to stop its involvement in the killing of civilians.
Forced to watch snuff videos
Human Rights Watch says ISIS forced 153 boys as young as 14 in Kobani to watch videos of beheadings and crucifixions while listening to religious lectures, and flogged them with cables for not paying attention. Former prisoner:
Those who didn’t conform to the program were beaten. They beat us with a green hose or a thick cable with wire running through it. They also beat the soles of our feet.
Syrian, Lebanon relations restored
Assad issues a presidential decree ordering the establishment of diplomatic relations between Syria and Lebanon and announcing the opening of an embassy-level diplomatic mission in Beirut. Following the announcement, the Lebanese Foreign Minister says he will visit damascus to finalize the agreement
Tomorrow I will be in Damascus to meet with my colleague [Syrian Foreign] Minister Walid Moallem…to finalize the necessary measures to establish diplomatic relations between the two countries…My visit will be a crown to the excellent relations between the two countries,
Warns against intervention
Syrian President Bashar Al Assad warns that foreign intervention in his country’s violent uprising could trigger an earthquake that would burn the whole region.
Any action against Syria will have greater consequences [on those who carry it out], greater than they can tolerate. First, because of Syria’s geopolitical location and second [because of] Syrian capabilities. They know part of it but they do not know the other parts and they will not be able to afford the results.
Assad says calls for his resignation by US and EU are not even worthy of a response, adding that he is appointed by the Syrian people, not by the West.
EU, US call for resignation
President Obama says the regime’s actions against pro-democracy protesters have cost it all legitimacy.
The future of Syria must be determined by its people, but President Bashar al-Assad is standing in their way. His calls for dialogue and reform have rung hollow while he is imprisoning, torturing and slaughtering his own people, We have consistently said that President Assad must lead a democratic transition or get out of the way. He has not led. For the sake of the Syrian people, the time has come for President Assad to step aside.
UK Prime Minister Cameron, French president Sarkozy and German chancellor Merkel, as well as the EU also demand Assad immediately resign.
Our three countries believe that President Assad, who is resorting to brutal military force against his own people and who is responsible for the situation, has lost all legitimacy and can no longer claim to lead the country. We call on him to face the reality of the complete rejection of his regime by the Syrian people and to step aside in the best interests of Syria and the unity of its people.
Canada imposes sanctions
Canada imposes sanctions on Syria in reaction to the ongoing government crackdown on pro-democracy activists. Foreign Affairs Minister Baird says four more senior officials of Assad’s regime are banned from travelling to Canada. In addition, the assets of the Commercial Bank of Syria and telecom company SyriaTel are frozen, and Canadians are prohibited from making transactions with these companies.
To isolate the Assad regime, Canada is taking measures to extend its existing sanctions against the regime and its backers. The Assad regime has lost all legitimacy by killing Syrian men, women and children just to stay in power. This campaign of terror must stop.
US imposes sanctions
Washington freezes the U.S. assets of Assad and six other senior officials for human rights abuses. The sanctions also bar American individuals and companies from dealing with the officials, which include the vice president, the prime minister, the interior minister, the defence minister, the head of military intelligence and the director of the political security directorate. US Treasury spokesperson:
The actions the administration has taken today send an unequivocal message to President Assad, the Syrian leadership, and regime insiders that they will be held accountable for the ongoing violence and repression in Syria…President al-Assad and his regime must immediately end the use of violence, answer the calls of the Syrian people for a more representative government, and embark upon the path of meaningful democratic reform,
Lifts state of emergency
Syria’s government passes a law to lift the country’s state of emergency as protests against the rule of Assad continue. The state security court is abolished while a law allowing peaceful protests is approved. The repeal of the emergency law is a key demand of protesters.
[The people should] refrain from taking part in all marches, demonstrations or sit-ins under any banner whatsoever. [If demonstrations are held] the laws in force in Syria will be applied in the interest of the safety of the people and the stability of the country.
Receives Iran award
During his official state visit to Tehran, Assad receives Iran’s highest national award in recognition of his support for the Palestinians, Lebanon, and his “rejection of global arrogance”. In a ceremony broadcast on Iranian state-run television, Ahmadinejad presents Assad with the Islamic Republic’s Medal of Honor. Ahmadinejad:
We are two governments and nations that are brothers. If it were not for Syria’s resistance against the Zionist regime [Israel] and its supporters, no country in our region would have remained safe from the Zionists’ aggression and there would be no sign of Palestinian resistance…Re-invigorating the front of resistance will not only persuade other countries and nations to join the front, but also pave the ground for the consolidation and stabilization of peace in the region…Syria is a benefactor to Muslims, Arabs and even to humanity.
Re-elected
Assad overwhelmingly wins another seven-year term of office, in a ballot in which he is the only candidate. Political opposition groups are banned unless they are attached the Baath Party. The interior ministry says he wins the backing of more than 97% of Syria’s 12 million voters. The ministry says the turnout is enormous, but gives no figures. Minister:
This great consensus shows the political maturity of Syria and the brilliance of our democracy.
Hafez al-Assad dies at 69
The Syrian president al-Assad dies in Damascus of a heart attack. He is survived by four of his five children. His dynastic guidelines pass succession to his son, Bashar al-Assad.