Syrian Rights Activist Slams Europe for Backing New 'Terrorist' Regime

Syrian human rights activist Ribal al-Assad has sharply criticized Europe for lifting sanctions on Syria’s new regime, labeling it a "terrorist" government as dangerous as the previous one led by his cousin, Bashar al-Assad. The move comes after Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, leader of the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) forces, signed a temporary constitution that plunges the country into Islamist rule for at least five years.

The new government, according to al-Assad, has embarked on a terrifying "revenge killing spree," targeting conscripted soldiers from Assad’s army and minorities like Alawites and Christians. "They couldn’t refuse military service," he explained, pointing out that those who resisted were imprisoned, while high-ranking officers fled the country.

For religious and ethnic minorities, the ousting of Bashar al-Assad hasn’t brought relief. Many worry about the ties of the new leadership to extremist groups like al Qaeda. Ribal al-Assad described the regime as "an Islamic caliphate" bent on replacing dictatorship with theocracy, likening the transition to Iran’s political shift 45 years ago.

In a deeply personal moment, al-Assad reflected on the coexistence of Christians and Alawites in his hometown. "We’ve always lived side by side, celebrating holidays together," he noted, lamenting the bloodshed that now targets these communities indiscriminately.

Despite widespread concern, Europe recently suspended sanctions on the new government, a decision Ribal al-Assad called "not normal" given the ongoing violence. "What worse could [HTS] do for you to reinstate sanctions?" he asked pointedly.

The European Commission’s decision to invite al-Sharaa to a donor conference further enraged al-Assad, who accused international leaders of funding and rewarding a regime that has perpetrated mass killings. "The Europeans are giving money to encourage this violence instead of demanding a secular constitution and equality for all citizens," he argued.

The sectarian violence has been devastating. Rights groups report that hundreds of civilians, particularly from the Alawite minority, have been killed, with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimating close to 1,000 deaths in the past week alone. Thousands of displaced civilians are now sheltering at a Russian airbase, according to Russia’s foreign ministry.

In the meantime, al-Sharaa’s government has promised investigations into civilian killings, but the United Nations remains skeptical. U.N. spokesperson Thameen Al Kheetan described the atrocities as summary executions carried out on a sectarian basis, with entire families slaughtered.

The interim constitution, meant to govern Syria for five years, has drawn criticism for its Islamist slant. It requires the head of state to be a Muslim and establishes Islamic law as the foundation of jurisprudence. Though it claims to protect free expression, al-Assad mocked its vague clauses, calling them "hilarious." He particularly highlighted provisions allowing the president to appoint one-third of Parliament and indefinitely extend the transition period.

Kurdish-led groups have rejected the constitution, arguing it reproduces authoritarianism and fails to protect Syria’s diverse ethnic communities. Ribal al-Assad echoed these concerns, urging the U.S. to intervene and help establish a genuine representative democracy. "This is definitely not what the Syrian people were looking for," he remarked.

Al-Assad warned of the broader risk posed by an Islamist regime on the Mediterranean. "They could be in Cyprus and Europe within hours," he cautioned, drawing comparisons to al Qaeda’s operations in Afghanistan.