No: 128, 24 April 2014

The announcement made by the Syrian regime which has long lost its legitimacy and its legal capacity to administrate the country that it will organize so-called presidential elections on 3 June 2014 is, to say the least, an act of disrespect and insolence against the memory of hundreds of thousands of slaughtered and millions of exiled Syriansas well as towards the international community.

This decision of the regime, which has been confirmed as the perpetrator of countless war crimes, causing an unprecedented spiral of violence and humanitarian tragedy during the last three years, also deals another blow to the efforts for finding a political solution.

Such an election, which will be organized apparently under the conditions where nearly half of the population is displaced and the people is being subjected to indiscriminate attacks of the forces of the regime, will not only be null and void, but will also be in flagrant contradiction with the Geneva Communique, constituting the basis of the efforts towards establishing an transitional governing body based on mutual consent.

It is not possible to take such a so-called election seriously in any way whatsoever.