In Syria, as with Many Authoritarian Regimes, What Did the Increased

In Syria, as with many authoritarian regimes, what did the increased and ongoing repression indicate?

A) It was a sign of desperation from an increasingly isolated regime that saw no alternative to imposing its rule
B) It was a sign of military might and superiority
C) It was an effort by the regime to hold the crumbling state together and not risk civil war
D) It indicated the promise of protection the regime swore to its citizens in the face of the violent rebellious uprisings led by a minority group