Suheir Atassi

Suheir al-Atassi (Arabic: سهير الأتاسي, romanized: Suhair al-ʾAtāsī; born 1971) is the leading female secular activist in the Syrian opposition, and co-vice-president of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces between November 2012 and December 2013.[1] She has been called the "Lady of the Revolution" and is widely respected in secular and intellectual circles within the Syrian opposition structure.[2] She had previously run the media wing of the banned Jamal Atassi Forum, which was named after her father, a founding member of the Ba'ath Party who later left and founded the Democratic Arab Socialist Union.[3]

Suheir al-Atassi
سهير الأتاسي
Suheir Atassi in 2013
Vice President of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces
In office
12 November 2012 – 4 January 2015
Serving with Riad Seif
PresidentMoaz al-Khatib
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byNoura al-Ameer
Personal details
Born1971 (age 51–52)
Damascus, Syria
RelationsJamal al-Atassi (father)
Alma materDamascus University
OccupationVice-president of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces
Lawyer
Known forDemocracy activist
Women's activist
Secular activist

Suheir Atassi was born in Damascus in 1971 to a prominent political family from Homs. She is daughter of Jamal al-Din al-Atassi, prominent pan-Arabist in Syria.[4] She studied French literature and education at the University of Damascus, and was active in the Damascus Spring, helping to form and run the Jamal al-Atassi Forum. She revived the forum online in 2009 in order to help promote democracy and human rights in Syria.[5] On 16 March 2011 she was arrested for her activities. After her release, she had to go into hiding before fleeing Syria to Jordan and then France.

In December 2013 Atassi resigned as Vice-President of the exile 'National Coalition' after the Assistance Coordination Unit, an opposition aid agency, went on strike over claims of mismanagement of aid delivery and funding. She said she would keep her position as chairwoman for the Assistance Coordination Unit, based in Turkey.[6] On 25 April 2018, Atassi resigned from the National Coalition itself, citing the SNC's relations with Russia.[7]

References
  1. Syria crisis: Gulf states recognise Syria opposition
  2. Parker, Joel (31 May 2013). "Assad May Defeat Opposition". Sharnoff's Global Views. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  3. "Q&A: Syrian activist Suhair Atassi". Al Jazeera. 9 February 2011. Archived from the original on 12 February 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2011. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. "Who are the members of Syria's opposition delegation?". The New Arab. 22 January 2016.
  5. "Suhair al-Atassi". Carnegie Middle East Center. Retrieved 12 November 2012. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. Lauren Williamn, 'Atassi resigns as vice president for Syria National Coalition', The Daily Star, 4 December 2013, online: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Dec-04/239831-atassi-resigns-as-vice-president-for-syria-national-coalition.ashx#axzz2mdZbdHLd
  7. "Three Syria opposition coalition members resign over 'Russian control of peace talks'". Al-Araby Al-Jadeed. 25 April 2018.
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