The panel discussion, we will reflect on the political developments in Syria since the fall of the Assad regime with activists and experts:
on 25 March 2026, 7:00–9:00 p.m. at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, Favoritenstraße 15a, 1040 Vienna.
Background
In December 2024, the decades-long rule of the Assad family was overthrown. The opening of torture prisons exposed the crimes of the old regime to the world, while the new leaders promised political renewal, economic recovery, and dignity and justice for all. However, the first year after Assad has been marked by ongoing violence, severe human rights abuses, and unresolved political conflicts. Clashes between the new regime and various sectarian groups, military escalations in many regions, and the intervention of external actors such as Israel and Turkey have strained the fragile situation. Minorities, women, and marginalized groups continue to suffer from insecurity, repression, and lack of political participation. Despite this, many Syrians feel relief at the end of the Assad dictatorship, yet fear, uncertainty, and the desire for self-determination are growing.
How can we assess the political developments since the fall of Assad? Who holds power and representation in Syria today—and on what basis? Are the current conflicts sectarian in nature, or do they reflect deeper questions of power and distribution? What prospects exist for reconciliation, self-determination, and a shared Syria for all its inhabitants? And what responsibility do regional actors and the international community bear?
Panel
Zozan Alloush
is an independent political and humanitarian consultant specializing in Syrian conflict transformation and women’s empowerment. She serves on the UN Women’s Advisory Board to the UN Special Envoy for Syria, the Mediterranean Women Mediators Network, and is a founding member of the Syrian Women’s Initiative for Peace and Democracy. Currently, she works as Senior Policy Advisor at the DeFacto Platform for Dialogue and Development, where she leads initiatives on governance, decentralization, and inclusive dialogue, with a strong focus on mediation and building channels of communication between diverse Syrian actors.
From 2017–2019, she served as Head of Coordination and Development in ISIS-liberated areas, managing humanitarian operations in Al-Hol IDP camp and implementing de-radicalization programs.
Ahmad Helmi
is a Syrian nonviolent activist who has worked on justice and human rights in Syria and the region for over 12 years. He endured serious human rights violations, including three years of imprisonment and torture.
In 2017, following his release from detention, Ahmad founded the TA’AFI Initiative, a survivor-led organization that supports survivors of enforced disappearance and torture upon their release and resettlement in safe locations, and empowers them to continue advocating peacefully for justice, accountability, and human rights in Syria.
Ahmad played a pivotal role in grounding the victims’ movement in Syria and internationally, including contributing to the establishment of the IIMP (Independent Institution on Missing Persons in the Syrian Arab Republic) and co-founding INOVAS, an international victims’ network. He also helped introduce unprecedented language on meaningful victims’ participation in justice processes.
André Bank
is a Senior Research Fellow at the GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies in Hamburg. His research focuses on authoritarianism, political transformations, conflict and war dynamics, and changes in regional order. Geographically, his focus is on the Middle East, particularly Syria and its neighbouring countries. He was last in Syria in November 2025. Among other things, he was co-editor of the anthology Syria after Assad (2025).
Chair: Viola Raheb
is a peace activist, theologian and writer. She is a member of numerous initiatives promoting peace, dialogue and women's rights. She wrote her doctoral thesis on Syrian school textbooks under the Baath Party and during the political upheavals.