Withdrawal Statement

2026-01-11
Issued by ASO Center for Consultancy and Strategic Studies, from Madaniya Platform
ASO Center for Consultancy and Strategic Studies hereby announces its complete withdrawal from Madaniya Platform and the suspension of all forms of membership, participation, or coordination with it. This decision is taken in light of the Platform’s repeated straying from the core principles of civil and human rights work, and its adoption of positions and statements that have lacked neutrality and professionalism, and that have contributed—directly or indirectly—to justifying serious violations committed against civilians in North and East Syria.
ASO Center has closely followed with deep concern the statement issued by Madaniya Platform on November 27, 2025, regarding developments in the Syrian al-Jazira region, as well as the selective positions that followed. These positions ignored the broader political and military context and failed to address the responsibilities of key actors—most notably those involved in siege, targeting, and demographic engineering. This includes violations that have occurred and continue to occur in Afrin, Serê Kaniyê (Ras al-Ayn), Tall Abyad, and the city of Aleppo.
This decision is further reinforced by the troubling silence—or the unbalanced and selective treatment—by members of the Board of Directors of Madaniya Platform regarding the dangerous military escalation in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods of Aleppo. This escalation included a relentless siege and the direct targeting of civilians, culminating in the encirclement and targeting of Khaled Fajr Hospital, the only medical facility providing services in these neighborhoods. Such actions constitute a flagrant violation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), particularly the fundamental principle of protecting medical facilities.
ASO Center affirms that overlooking these crimes, or addressing them through vague, selective, or ambiguous positions, stands in direct contradiction to the most basic ethical values and human rights standards upon which any independent civil platform should be founded. The Center categorically rejects the use of civil discourse as a cover for one-sided political positions or as a means to whitewash violations that threaten civilians’ lives, dignity, and right to protection.
Accordingly, ASO Center emphasizes the following:
 The decision to withdraw from Madaniya Platform is final and is taken to preserve the Center’s credibility, independence, and its explicit commitment to defending human rights without selectivity or double standards.
 ASO Center rejects any civil discourse that fails to name violations for what they are, or that avoids clearly identifying legal and moral responsibilities—particularly with regard to the targeting of civilians and medical facilities.
 The Center reaffirms its commitment to independent research and human rights work, and to cooperation with entities and platforms that adhere to the principles of neutrality, professionalism, accountability, and International Humanitarian Law.
Withdrawal from Madaniya Platform does not represent a withdrawal from responsibility; rather, it constitutes an ethical and political stance against silence, selectivity, grey positioning, and the normalization of violations.
Chair of the Board of Trustees
ASO Center for Consultancy and Strategic Studies