Syrians are actively removing images and names of Bashar al-Assad from public spaces following the opposition's capture of Damascus on December 8, 2024, ending over 50 years of dynastic rule. The Ba'ath Party regime had deeply embedded the al-Assad name and imagery across Syria, from schools and airports to currency. In Latakia, Basil al-Assad International Airport has been reverted to its geographical name, and schools are removing family names from signage.
The interim government now faces the significant task of dismantling decades of dictatorial propaganda, a challenge complicated by existing legal frameworks. Legal researcher Maya Hussein al-Khatib highlighted that laws, such as the Local Administration Law, granted extensive naming authority to executive councils with insufficient oversight, facilitating the "symbolic appropriation of state property." While the constitution did not explicitly forbid naming facilities after living individuals, it stated public funds should not serve factional interests. The printing of rulers' images on currency, based on a 2002 decree, is seen as a violation of public money's neutrality.
Psychologist Ghazal Samih notes the psychological toll, stating that individuals raised under such regimes lose critical thinking abilities and develop a heightened sensitivity to difference due to fear of punishment. This can lead to a loss of personal identity and an imposed collective one, driven by a belief that glorifying the ruler protects the group.
To address these issues, al-Khatib proposes symbolic transitional justice, including a comprehensive review of all naming conventions and their replacement with inclusive national symbols. She advocates for a National Symbols Committee to ensure impartiality and legal reforms to protect public property from symbolic appropriation, criminalizing the use of public funds for glorification. Samih emphasizes that legal changes must be accompanied by psychological and societal shifts, promoting critical thinking, acceptance of difference, and building institutions that foster a sense of belonging to the country rather than an individual leader.