-
Governor of Daraa's Son Assaults Citizen... Controversy Over Role of Officials' Relatives in Government
-
The behavior of the governor's son exemplifies unprofessional practices that have been entrenched during decades of centralized rule that empowered officials' relatives to intervene in public affairs
Activists on social media platforms circulated a video showing the Governor of Daraa having a public conversation with a group of citizens outside his office in the governorate building, in what appeared to be a spontaneous and open meeting.
During the discussion, the governor's son approached one of the attendees who was documenting the meeting, attempting to stop him from continuing. The video shows the cameraman retreating backward, trying to distance himself from the governor's son using his hand. However, the latter attacked the camera and forcefully knocked it down, in an act that sparked a wave of indignation and widespread criticism directed at both the governor and his son on social media platforms.
In the recording, the governor's son can be heard declaring: "Photography is prohibited. I am the governorate's media person. Photography is not allowed." As of the publication of this report, the Daraa governorate administration has not issued any official statement regarding the incident or any official clarification confirming whether the governor's son actually works as a "media person" in the governor's office, or explaining the nature of his position, employment criteria, and qualifications.
This incident reveals the continuation of the practice of power abuse that was prevalent under the previous centralized rule, where relatives are employed in government positions without clear standards, which confirms the urgent need for a system that prevents the concentration of powers and ensures transparency in government appointments.
These practices are considered a model of the disadvantages resulting from the centralized rule implemented by the previous regime led by Bashar al-Assad, which placed the country's resources in the hands of a limited group and enabled them to control Syrians' lives and suppress their basic freedoms, including freedom of expression and documentation of public meetings.
