Upon succeeding his father , Hafez al-Assad , five years ago , President Assad spoke of liberalizing the political environment , but Syria remains a police state , and many Syrians believe power has become concentrated in fewer hands than it was before his father 's death .
Hafez al-Assad /people/person/nationality Syria
IN VBG PRP$ NN , NNP NNP , CD NNS RB , NNP NNP VBD IN VBG DT JJ NN , CC NNP VBZ DT NN NN , CC JJ NNPS VBP NN VBZ VBN JJ IN JJR NNS IN PRP VBD IN PRP$ NN POS NN .
Hafez al-Assad
PERSON
Syria
LOCATION
/people/person/nationality