This is a translation of a factsheet written in Arabic by our friends from Cyprus to commemorate the one year anniversary of the start of the Syrian revolution. Thanks for their idea and information.

Tuesday, 15 March 2011: In an unprecedented move in defiance of President Bashar al Assad, a small demonstration took place in the capital Damascus following calls by activists on Facebook to demand an end to oppression, corruption and suppression of freedoms. Protests emerged against President Bashar Assad and his despotic family, which has been controlling power since 1971 as well as against the despotic Baath Party and the emergency laws it ruled with since 1963.

The protests started as a small demonstration in the capital Damascus on Tuesday, March the 15th, 2011. The following day another demonstration took place with about 100 participants demanding the release of detainees.

Friday 18 March 2011, the “Friday of Dignity”: Demonstrations took place in Damascus, Homs, Daraa, and Banyas to which the State Security forces responded brutally, especially in Daraa. As a result, four people were killed. For the rest of the week State Security forces attacked protesters around al Omary mosque in Daraa and other parts of the city. This turned the demonstrations into bloody clashes between unarmed civilians and armed State Security forces which claimed the lives of 100 protesters according to human rights organizations.

25 March 2011: For the first time, the demonstrations spread to tens of Syrian cities under the slogan of the “Friday of Glory”. Protests took place in Jableh, Hama, Lattakia as well as several areas in Damascus and its suburbs such as souk al Hamidiya, Marjeh, Mazzeh, Qaboun, Kesweh, Daraya, al Tal, Douma, and Zabadany. From that day, and week after week, the protests escalated both in the number of locations and participation.

22 April 2011: One of the bloodiest days, following the death of 100 people during demonstrations on a Friday that was called “The Great Friday” or “Good Friday” [as it coincided with Easter].

25 April 2011: The Syrian army started a military campaign in Daraa and Douma, which was the first of its kind, and lead to the death of dozens of civilians.

28 May 2011: Another military campaign was carried out in the cities of Rastan and Talbiseh that killed 100 people.

3 June 2011: Ten thousands of people held a sit-in at al Asee square in downtown Hama. State Security forces opened fire on them killing more than 70 in a massacre that came to be known as the “Children of Freedom” massacre after the name of that Friday.

28 August 2011: On that evening State Security forces surrounded al Rifai Mosque in Kafar Sousah, Damascus, and following the conclusion of the night prayer, they raided the mosque and attacked the Imam who leads the prayer as well as the worshipers inside.

By the end of Ramadan, Amnesty International declared that 88 people have died under torture since the beginning of the uprising. And in total 473 were killed during the month of Ramadan.

In Early September 2011, the President of the United Nations Human Rights Council announced that at least 2600 people were killed since the beginning of the uprising on March the 15^th.

29 October 2011: The army started shelling Baba Amr neighborhood in Homs with heavy machine guns.

13 March 2012: The Syrian regime committed another massacre in Homs in the neighborhoods of Karam al Zaeitoun and al Adawiyeh that claimed the lives of 47 women and children.

The Syrian regime’s violations against the Syrian people continue and more people are being killed and wounded every day.