In March, the Association was amongst the very first few Syrian and international voices to address the Syrian regime’s attempts to use the fight against Covid-19 to lift the sanctions imposed by the United States and the EU for the ongoing atrocities and human rights abuses, arguing that the sanctions are hampering its efforts in facing the pandemic, at the time when the United Nations called for a comprehensive ceasefire to face the spread of the virus.

The Syrian regime has launched a political and media campaign calling for the lifting of economic sanctions against it, claiming this is needed to cope with the spread of the COVID-19 virus in the areas of Syria it controls. Realizing the dangerous implications of such narrative, the Association did not hesitate to warn the international community and the key countries against entertaining such demands for the following reasons:

• The economic sanctions imposed on the Syrian regime do not affect the health sector.
• The Syrian regime has so far denied any cases of COVID-19 in areas it controls, despite the fact that, amongst others, the Pakistani government confirmed that the cases where the virus was spread in Pakistan by those coming from Syria. In addition, the regime has arrested several Syrian doctors who reported cases of COVID-19 infections in Damascus.
• The Syrian regime did not take any possible and affordable measures to prevent the spread of the virus, and began some superficial measures very late and without a genuine policy of raising awareness among the population.
• The regime – through an official in the Ministry of Health – stated that there are no cases of COVID-19 virus in Syria, but on the contrary, that international governments are asking for help and expertise from the regime to confront the virus. This is yet another example of complete dissociation from the reality and manipulation with the health and life of Syrians.
• Experience has shown that any economic aid reaching the Syrian regime will be used to support corrupt practices of the regime, including the sale of humanitarian aid, and that such aid, if not administered directly to the people, will never reach Syrians for whom it is intended.
• Lastly, the regime has too long a record of targeting and destroying hospitals and killing medical personnel to be trusted to act out of genuine concern for the health of Syrians.

Immediately after this, SACD and The White Helmets published a joint statement refuting the Syrian regime’s claims that the sanctions imposed on it are hampering its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic and asserting that the regime practices of mass arrests, torture, killing, and blocking humanitarian aid is what is affecting the response against the virus, and not the sanctions.  SACD also revealed how the regime did not take any early measures to stop the spread of the virus, but instead acted recklessly without any regard to Syrian lives.

Nevertheless, SACD expressed its full support for the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres’ call for a global, comprehensive ceasefire that takes into account the grave humanitarian situation the world faces due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and issued a statement to express the importance of reaching a ceasefire to prevent new waves of displacement.

In an analysis for the prestigious Fletcher Forum, Dr. Anas al-Fatih, SACD member of General Board of Trustees from Deir Ezzor, addressed the terror and repression inflicted by Assad regime and its Russian and Iranian allies as the main driver of displacement of Syrians, which requires active and robust action by the West. Dr. al-Fatih stressed on the fact that the only way the West can stop refugees waves at its shores and borders is by addressing the main driver of Syrian displacement which is Assad’s terror.

On the 9^th anniversary of the Syrian Revolution, SACD launched the #Karama (Dignity) campaign to give a voice to refugees and displaced Syrians who continue to come out to express their unequivocal and unwavering commitment to their struggle for dignity. The #Karama campaign had a worldwide reach of one million people and large participation from Syrians all over the world, including 50 SACD members who recorded videos to amplify the voices of the displaced Syrians. The aim of the campaign was to reach out to all displaced Syrians and unify their voices, as well as reminding the displaced of their rights and the importance of their struggle to have an impact on decision-making and the conditions that shape their return.