Middle East

Eugene

(64,188 posts) Thu Mar 13, 2025, 10:11 AM Mar 13

Syrian leader signs constitution that puts the country under an Islamist group's rule for 5 years

Source: Associated Press

Syrian leader signs constitution that puts the country under an Islamist group’s rule for 5 years

By GHAITH ALSAYED and KAREEM CHEHAYEB
Updated 10:00 AM EDT, March 13, 2025

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria’s interim president on Thursday signed a temporary constitution that leaves the country under Islamist rule for five years during a transitional phase.

The nation’s interim rulers have struggled to exert their authority across much of Syria since the Islamist former insurgent group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, led a lightning insurgency that overthrew longtime President Bashar Assad in December.

Former HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa is now the country’s interim president — a decision that was announced after a meeting of the armed groups that took part in the offensive against Assad. At the same meeting, the groups agreed to repeal the country’s old constitution and said a new one would be drafted.

While many were happy to see an end to the Assad family’s dictatorial rule of more than 50 years in the war-torn country, religious and ethnic minorities have been skeptical of the new Islamist leaders and reluctant to allow Damascus under its new authorities to assert control of their areas.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/syria-constitution-assad-alsharaa-4caa2074f20155c2399451d9669e435b

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Syrian leader signs constitution that puts the country under an Islamist group's rule for 5 years (Original Post) Eugene Mar 13 OP

Also in the article sabbat hunter Mar 24 #1

sabbat hunter

(6,951 posts)

1. Also in the article

Reply to Eugene (Original post)

Mon Mar 24, 2025, 09:40 PM

Mar 24

But Al-Awak, a constitutional law expert who teaches at Mardin Artuklu University in Turkey, also said that the temporary constitution includes provisions that enshrine freedom of expression and the media.
The constitution will “balance between social security and freedom” during Syria’s shaky political situation, he said, and will set up an “absolute and rigid separation” between legislative, executive and judicial authorities.

The text of the temporary constitution, published late Thursday, sets up a People’s Committee which will serve as an interim parliament until a permanent constitution is adopted and elections held. Two thirds of its members will be appointed by a committee selected by the interim president and one third by al-Sharaa himself.

The documents says the state is “committed to combatting all forms of violent extremism while respecting rights and freedoms” and that “citizens are equal before the law in rights and duties, without discrimination based on race, religion, gender or lineage.” It stipulates that the army is a “professional national institution” and arms outside of its control are prohibited and designates “glorifying the former Assad regime” as a crime.

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