Fearing reprisals, Syrian refugees wary to vote in election

Syria government reaches out to millions of refugees worldwide to vote in the presidential election but many refuse.

Beirut, Lebanon – With a presidential election slated for next month, millions of Syrian refugees in Lebanon have been urged to get out and vote. Syrian state television filmed people registering at the embassy in Lebanon as an “expression of their resilience against unjust Western schemes and sanctions”, according to the reporter. Parliament announced last week that the presidential election would be held on May 26. According to Syrian state media, 22 people have submitted their nomination requests so far, including incumbent President Bashar al-Assad. Al-Assad is widely expected to win the vote and rule the war-ravaged country for a fourth seven-year term.