Under the title "Rifaat al-Assad: A 'Convict' Unlike the 'Leader' He Was, Returning to a Country That Is Not What It Was," Russia Today published news about the return of the former leader of the Defense Companies, Rifaat al-Assad, to Syria, a country that has changed significantly since he left 36 years ago, with only his conviction remaining in the French courts. Syria has transformed greatly, just as Rifaat al-Assad has, the leader who once confronted his brother, the late President Hafez al-Assad, during one of the nation's toughest periods, culminating in the end of the "events of the 1980s."
Rifaat, who nearly became the de facto president of Syria during that time and held several scientific, military, and civilian titles, the highest being Vice President, returns today to his homeland under circumstances resembling an escape from a judicial ruling issued against him in France, which sentenced him to four years in prison. He returned without titles, without an official reception, and with a news report stating that President Bashar al-Assad "overlooked what Rifaat said and did and allowed him to return to prevent his imprisonment in France."
Rifaat established the Defense Companies, which enjoyed extensive powers, making him the second most powerful man in Syria, and the title "leader" became synonymous with him. This was before he became entangled in an uncalculated dispute with the late Assad in 1984, deploying his forces in Damascus, during a time when a single bullet was enough to ignite the capital, leading to a resolution that Assad handled diplomatically (as narrated by Patrick Seale in his famous book about Assad).
Following this, Rifaat left Syria in a schism that only became publicly acknowledged years later, becoming one of the Syrian "opponents" of the authorities. His most notable recent appearance was when he went to the Syrian embassy in France to cast his vote in the latest presidential elections, a move that seemed to pave the way for the former "leader," who faced the threat of losing his wealth along with a prison sentence, as he confronted a French court that later sentenced him to four years for fraudulently acquired assets valued at ninety million euros, including apartments, palaces, and horse farms.
After the election results were announced, Rifaat sent a congratulatory message in May to his nephew, President Bashar al-Assad, published by his son Duraid al-Assad. After the Paris Court of Appeal upheld the sentence on September 9, Rifaat was seen again "dancing" with his grandchildren in a somewhat defiant gesture, marking the last media appearance of a man who is no longer reminiscent of who he was around 40 years ago. He arrived yesterday in a country that is not what he left, with a "leaked" report, without any formal announcement or reception, and information from "sources" indicating that "President Bashar al-Assad overlooked all that Rifaat al-Assad did and allowed him to return to Syria as any other Syrian citizen, but with strict regulations, and he will have no political or social role."
