The "Damascus Spring" began after the death of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and his son Bashar al- Assad assumed the reins of power in mid-July 2000. Syria witnessed some “political liberalization,” and many voices rose calling for judicial, legal, and economic reforms.
The regime quickly responded with repression and arrested opponents. The “spring’ ended within 7 months, and the organization described that period and what followed it the “lost decade”