State of Emergency Excuse As reported in earlier analyses, Syria has remained under a so-called State of Emergency almost continuously since 1963. The authorities justify the continuation of martial law in part on the basis that there is a state of war with Israel. . The martial law regime is enforced by Syrian Military Intelligence and Air Force Intelligence, both of which are military agencies, and by separate security agencies ostensibly controlled by the Ministry of Interior General Security, State Security, and Political Security. All branches of these security regimes operate independently of each other. The continuing Emergency Law authorizes the Government to conduct preventive arrests, and overrides Penal Code provisions against arbitrary arrest and detention, including the need to obtain warrants.
Detainees have no legal redress for false arrest.
The security forces often fail to provide detainees families with information on their welfare or whereabouts while in detention. While the number of such disappearances is thought to have declined in recent years, this may reflect the authorities success in deterring opposition political activity, rather than any loosening of detention criteria. Botched Rose Garden Coup Signs of severe differences between the two sides were apparent as early as the formal announcements from the White House Rose Garden on 15th December 1999. Having taken up the wrong positions, Mr. Barak and his opposite number, Mr. Farouk al-Shara, the Foreign Minister of Syria, and to change places from which point onwards, The New York Times of 16th December explained, it was a downhill, an inauspicious start. Bearing in mind that Syria is engaged in the development of a new missile capable of reaching the whole of Israel, and of delivering chemical warheads, and has been working on biological weaponisation of the missiles, these words fell on the ears of President Clinton and Prime Minister Barak like a lead balloon.