At the end of February, Minister Reem Abli-Radovan (SPD) extended invitations to over 120 refugee women from various countries to partake in the ceremony. Memorial photos captured the presence of Amal Ezzo, a refugee, among the attendees, standing in the security line and in close proximity to the Minister.
Amal, aged 56, resettled in Germany in 2015. Presently, she serves as a social worker and translator at a refugee center located near the northern city of Titirov. Additionally, she actively engages with multiple associations dedicated to migrant issues.
Regime officials pursue Syrians in countries of asylum
Although Amal previously held a position as the head of the youth office of the Damascus branch of the Baath Party and had close ties to armed militias, according to the report, she now works extensively with Syrians who have fled persecution under Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights has estimated that Syrian regime forces alone bear responsibility for the deaths of over 200,000 civilians in Syria. Additionally, more than ten thousand individuals have reportedly been tortured to death in prisons and detention centers, while the fate of over 96,000 people remains unknown.
It’s worth noting that the network’s statistics are considered conservative, suggesting that the actual figures could be significantly higher. The German Foreign Ministry, in its report on the current situation, asserts that opponents of the Assad regime in Syria continue to face systematic persecution today, describing the human rights situation under Assad as catastrophic.
Amal rejects these accusations
Amal asserted that she resigned from her party positions in 2015 and initially sought refuge in Lebanon. She disclosed that she had faced threats in Syria, reportedly from Islamists, for reasons including her choice not to wear the hijab.
According to NDR, her role within the Baath Party was purportedly focused on supporting women in society. However, despite her claims, social media posts depicted Amal participating in a military parade alongside the Baath Brigades militia. NDR verified the authenticity of these images.
At the same table with Bashar al-Assad’s advisor
Amal also previously held a position within the administration of the al-Quds International Foundation, an organization listed under U.S. sanctions. She asserted that she resigned from this role in 2015.
However, photos published by the al-Quds Foundation seem to contradict Amal’s statements. They depict her participating in a board meeting alongside Buthaina Shaaban, an advisor to Bashar al-Assad, in the capital city of Damascus at the end of February 2018, three years after she sought refuge in Germany.
We didn’t know her previous activity
In response to this revelation, the spokeswoman for the minister, Reem Abli-Radovan, informed NDR that Amal’s invitation stemmed from a recommendation by an association in the state of Lower Saxony, and there was no prior knowledge of her previous positions.
“If we had been aware of this information before the event, we would not have extended an invitation to Ms. Amal,” the spokeswoman stated. Malteser International, the organization overseeing Amal’s refugee assistance center, expressed ignorance regarding her past. They emphasized taking this information seriously and committed to conducting a thorough investigation.
Fear of leaking refugee information to the Syrian regime
A spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry in the city of Schwerin stated that security authorities scrutinize the issue of refugees entering Germany to ensure they are not associated with terrorism, while other factors such as ties to the Syrian regime are also considered.
However, she declined to comment on the status of Amal’s Syrian refugee data or how the ministry evaluates the situation of a former regime official now interacting with Syrians who have fled the same regime.
Amal has penned several extensive letters to NDR, presenting herself as a victim of malevolent Syrians. She depicted the scrutiny surrounding accusations regarding her activities in Syria, including inquiries from journalists, as deeply distressing and exhausting. Notably, she has shown no signs of remorse or attempted to distance herself from the Syrian regime.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
