Press conference of the committee of experts tasked with drafting the Constitutional Declaration

The Committee of Experts tasked with drafting the Constitutional Declaration handed over the draft Constitutionsl Declaration to President Ahmad Al-Sharaa.

In a statement, the Committee stated “from the first moment of its formation, the committee has been committed to completing the required work, and we relied in drafting the declaration on the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference”.

The Committee said that the Declaration provides for the freedom of opinion, speech, press and publication.

The committee added that the declaration emphasizes the state’s commitment to the unity of the land and people and its respect for cultural particularities.

The declaration dedicates a special chapter on rights and freedoms to create a balance between societal security and freedom, the committee pointed out.

The committee also said that the Declaration guarantees the right to property ownership as wel as women’s right to education and participation in the workforce. The declaration also guarantees women’s political rights.

The committee indicated that the declaration provides for the importance of judges, their rulings and their independence. It leaves the matter of dismissing, expelling, or reducing the powers of Council member to the People’s Assembly.

The committee underlined that the People’s Assembly will assume full legislative responsibility, while the executive authority will be entrusted to the President of the Republic.

According to the declaration, the transitional period will be set at five years, and the President of the Republic will be granted the right to declare a state of emergency, the committee pointed out.

Member of the Constitutional Declaration Drafting Committee, Professor Abdul Hamid Al-Awak, at a press conference on Thursday: We have chosen a political system based on the complete separation of powers. This political system proposed in the draft Constitutional Declaration will help manage the transitional phase.

Al-Awak: We worked to return the political system to a truly constitutional path and recommended the introduction of a permanent constitution.

Al-Awak: The People’s Assembly will have no authority over the presidency during the transitional period.

Al-Awak: Several bodies will be formed, including the Supreme Elections Commission and a Supreme Constitutional Authority that will be concerned with the constitutionality of laws.

Al-Awak: In previous constitutions, the text served the dictator, but today the work of all authorities is monitored by the people.

Al-Awak: The presidential political system within the draft constitutional declaration does not allow one authority to isolate another.

Member of the Constitutional Declaration Drafting Committee, Dr. Riyan Kahilan: Freedoms in the Constitutional Declaration were established for all segments of the Syrian population.

Kahilan: The exceptional courts that caused pain and suffering to the people during the era of the former regime have been abolished.

Kahilan: A court will be formed to practice transitional justice.