This photo shared online on June 3, 2021, shows a crowd of thousands at al Basel Sport Stadium in Latakia city celebrating the result of the sham presidential election, violating all the precautionary measures introduced for large gatherings, failing to implement social distancing measures or to wear protective facemasks, which are intended to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic among the public.
SNHR notes that the numbers of COVID-19 cases in areas under the Syrian regime’s control continue to increase constantly, having already reached 24,591 in total, including 1,782 deaths, according to the Syrian Ministry of Health’s latest statement issued on June 3, 2021. Despite this, however, the Syrian regime has taken no real action to prevent public overcrowding at social events like this or while crowds of citizens queue to obtain essential items such as bread and gas and to collect their salaries; this negligence on the regime’s part is a blatant violation of the precautionary measures introduced to prevent the transmission or spread of the disease. The SNHR notes that this is further confirmation that a regime which is already responsible for killing hundreds of thousands of Syrians and displacing 12 million more as refugees and IDPs will not care for its people in any way.
The Syrian regime has failed to stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic among Syrian citizens, and bears the responsibility for its spread as a result of its neglecting to implement the precautionary measures stipulated by the World Health Organization.
