A fundamental right that should be granted

The decision of the Syrian government to deny all Syrians who fled their country during the last three years the right to vote in the upcoming presidential election would make a mockery of these elections.

It is bad enough that President Bashar Assad decided to run for a third term, knowing that his presidency has become a bone of contention between Damascus and the opposition. 

To now prevent the Syrians who ran for their lives during the civil war to vote is to deprive citizens of a basic right, all the more important at this juncture in their lives: to decide the fate of their country.

The bloody civil war caused some four million Syrians to seek safety in neighbouring countries. If the government believes so many fewer people would vote against it, it might be right, although not necessarily so.

But a government can only take away one’s right to cast a vote, a fundamental political right by all means, if an individual commits a very serious crime.

Denying such a large number of Syrians this right would most certainly jeopardise the credibility and fairness of the upcoming election.

Assad’s interests would be probably better served by allowing all Syrians to vote; that way, he could avoid charges that the election was flawed or rigged.

The Syrian presidential election is still weeks away; there is still time to take a correct course and, among others, also facilitate the bid of different contenders to enter the race for this high office.

Preventing many Syrians from expressing their position at the ballot box will not serve Damascus’ image and standing in the international community.

This is also the time for the international community, including the UN Security Council, to speak up against the Syrian regime’s violation of so many citizens’ right to vote.