Nureddin al-Atassi

Journeys

Biography

Nureddin al-Atassi was the nominal President of Syria from 1966 to 1970 — a figurehead president under Salah Jadid's real power. He was arrested by Hafez al-Assad in the November 1970 Corrective Movement and imprisoned for 22 years without trial at Mezzeh Military Prison. He was released on humanitarian grounds in 1992 and flown to Paris, where he died three days later. His life and death are a direct parallel to Salah Jadid's — both destroyed by the man they had helped put in power.