Bashar al-Assad (Arabic: بشار الأسد, Baššār al-ʾAsad; born 11 September 1965) is the President of the Syrian Arab Republic, Regional Secretary of the Ba'ath Party. He became president in 2000 after the death of his father Hafez al-Assad, who had ruled Syria for 29 years, and had notably ordered the Hama massacre of 1982. Bashar is a controversial figure both in Syria and internationally: human rights groups have stated that Bashar's secret police routinely tortures, imprisons, and kills political opponents, and those who speak out against his regime.
His family has filled security organs with loyal members of his own religious group with the purpose of retaining his power. His military, ruling elite, and secret police are closely interweaved.
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