Damascus Spring
In 2000, Dalila was active in the "Damascus Spring", the title used for the period of political activism that followed following the death of former president Assad in June 2000 and the succession to the presidency of his son, Bashar Assad. During a general crackdown on the Damascus Spring activists, Dalila was arrested in Damascus on 9 September 2001, reportedly following a lecture advocating greater democracy and transparency in government and an end to corruption. The lecture was titled "The Syrian Economy: problems and solutions" and also addressed Syria's worsening economy and called for the abolition of state monopolies.