Syria’s anti-incitement laws face test of implementation, accountability

Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8, 2024, Syria’s transitional government has issued a series of laws, decisions and measures aimed at protecting civil peace, preventing incitement to violence and hatred, curbing ethnic and sectarian tensions, and regulating media, religious and educational discourse.

However, continued reports of incitement and tensions between different segments of society have renewed questions about the transition from issuing regulations to enforcing them and holding violators accountable.

One of the most prominent measures is the Constitutional Declaration, signed by transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa on March 13, 2025.

Article 7 commits the state to promoting coexistence and social stability, preserving civil peace, preventing strife and division, and prohibiting incitement to violence. It also guarantees cultural diversity and the cultural and linguistic rights of all Syrians.

On March 9, 2025, the Syrian presidency announced the formation of an independent national committee to investigate and establish the facts surrounding the coastal region violence, with the aim of uncovering the circumstances of the violations, determining responsibility and referring those found guilty to the courts.

On July 13, 2025, al-Sharaa received the committee’s final report, which recommended legislative, executive and educational measures to prevent incitement to violence and strife and to curb sectarian tensions. It also called for monitoring such content in the media and on social media platforms.

On May 10, 2025, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research issued a decision prohibiting the publication, circulation or promotion of any content that incites hatred, sectarianism or racism, or undermines national unity and civil peace.

The decision stipulates that violators may face criminal, civil and disciplinary accountability, with the possibility of referral to the courts under applicable laws and regulations.

The Ministry of Education issued a similar decision on January 17, 2026, prohibiting any discourse, conduct or practice based on ethnic, sectarian, religious or factional grounds, or involving incitement, abuse or discrimination within schools, institutes and affiliated institutions. Violations are considered serious disciplinary offenses and may be referred to the criminal courts when warranted.

The measures have also extended to the media sector. On February 15, 2026, the Ministry of Information unveiled the “2026 Code of Professional and Ethical Conduct for the Media Sector in Syria,” saying it aims to promote accuracy, transparency and objectivity while countering rumors, misinformation and hate speech.

On February 16, 2026, the Ministry of Awqaf launched the “Charter for Unity of Islamic Discourse,” seeking to unify public religious discourse and promote moderation and social cohesion.

These measures indicate that combating incitement has become an explicitly stated part of the transitional government’s policies on education, media and religious discourse. However, assessing their effectiveness depends on the results of their implementation, the number of complaints investigated and the action taken against those found responsible.

The continued circulation of content described by legal and media assessments, as well as by observers, as inciting hatred, violence and social division, along with the spread of misinformation that fuels tensions between different segments of society, has also renewed questions about the transition from establishing rules and restrictions to enforcing them consistently.

Observers point out that statements and social media posts by public figures, media professionals and activists periodically contain divisive or inflammatory rhetoric. Yet the announced measures do not appear to have resulted in prosecution or accountability in every case. This has prompted debate over the standards used to enforce the rules established by the authorities themselves and whether they apply equally to all forms of discourse and all parties, without exception.

Under international human rights law, the issue is not about restricting freedom of opinion or political criticism, which the Constitutional Declaration also guarantees in Syria. Rather, it concerns the distinction between exercising the right to freedom of expression and inciting violence or hatred, provoking tensions or fueling strife; acts that the transitional government itself has sought to address through legal and administrative restrictions.

Amid growing concerns over developments in Syria, Claudio Cordone, Deputy Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for Syria, warned on October 11, 2026, of rising hate speech in the country during a consultative workshop held in Damascus to develop a national approach to combating the phenomenon.

Cordone noted that hate speech targets different segments of Syrian society, highlighting how women in particular face online abuse and targeted campaigns. He warned of the consequences for stability and social cohesion.

He stressed the need to confront inciting rhetoric and prevent it from escalating into calls for discrimination, hostility or violence, while ensuring that freedom of expression is protected in accordance with international law.

Despite the growing number of laws and decisions issued over the past period, their effectiveness will ultimately depend on how they are enforced on the ground, particularly in cases involving rhetoric that could deepen social divisions or incite violence. Protecting civil peace therefore requires not only the issuance of laws and regulations, but also effective enforcement mechanisms and accountability for those who violate them.

A-H 

ANHA