Last Damascus ambassador evaluates Assad's general amnesty: 'There is a decision, but no implementation'

While the normalization process between Turkey and Syria continues at a slow pace, positive statements came from Ankara last week, along with news of a general amnesty from Damascus. The most important topic regarding the Syrian crisis in the Turkish public eye is, by a wide margin, the refugees. It was stated that the amnesty issued by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad covers draft evasion crimes, misdemeanors (crimes more serious than petty offenses but lighter than felonies), and certain violations committed before September 22, 2024.

According to a report by Metin Kaan Kurtuluş from Oksijen, Turkey's last ambassador to Damascus, Ömer Önhon, pointed out that Assad has issued amnesties many times before, stating that the important question is whether it will actually be implemented this time.

Stating that the aforementioned amnesties were generally not fully put into practice and that various reports of arrests have appeared in the press, Önhon noted that Syrians are generally reluctant to return to their countries due to past experiences.

'THEY COME TO TURKEY TO AVOID MILITARY SERVICE'

Önhon also stated that the concept of "draft evader" in the decree-law that published the general amnesty is ambiguous. For example, it is unknown whether those who did not enlist in the Syrian army but joined various armed groups in the country are covered by the amnesty. Furthermore, there are many refugees in Turkey who left Syria to avoid military service.

According to Önhon, even in a scenario where the amnesty is implemented, it is unlikely that Syrians abroad will return in large numbers. "The root of the problem is already Syria," said the retired ambassador, drawing attention to the fact that living conditions in most of the country are still very poor:

In other words, according to Önhon, finding a solution to the problems in Syria is a prerequisite for mass returns to Syria. For millions of Syrians abroad, living in another country is still a better option than living in their homeland, despite the many problems they face, from racism to poverty. The United Nations' stance also supports this thesis. The UN still does not support mass returns to Syria and provides individual support to those who decide to return to their country. According to BBC research, many Syrians who return to their country can be subjected to many human rights violations, such as torture, despite amnesty decisions, and can even be killed. The economic situation in Syria is also at the level you would expect from a country that has been at war for 13 years. The small number of Syrians who return also have difficulty finding work and cannot find four walls to house their families.

'HE WILL DO WHATEVER ASSAD TELLS HIM TO DO'

This week, Bassam al-Sabbagh was appointed as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in Syria. In addition to his duties at the center, Sabbagh served as the Head of the Syrian Mission at the UN Headquarters in New York. Önhon, who knows the minister personally, commented, "Sabbagh is a moderate, good diplomat who also looks favorably upon Turkey. However, the steps to be taken under current conditions are not in his hands. He will do whatever Assad tells him to do."

'IF IMPLEMENTED CORRECTLY, RETURNS WILL BE ENCOURAGED'

"It is difficult to say whether the issued amnesty is a direct result of the talks with Turkey, but it can be considered a positive step within the scope of the normalization process," said Önhon, adding, "If it is implemented properly, returns will be encouraged; we will wait and see."

For Ankara, the refugee crisis is one of the biggest problems linked to Syria. While Önhon acknowledged that Turkey accepts that the way to solve these problems is to sit at the table with Damascus, he noted that there have been attempts to mend ties with Assad since 2017. However, Assad continues to slow down the ongoing normalization process, and the initiatives of Iran and Russia play a role in keeping the talks alive. Önhon said, "Assad does not forget what was done to him, so he is dragging his feet against Turkey. However, it is essential to talk to him. It is not easy to mend ties, but the infrastructure for solving the problems is being built."