Syria
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- republic under a military regime
- CONSTITUTION
- March 13, 1973
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- based on a combination of French and Ottoman civil law, Islamic law is used in family matters
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- unicameral, People's Council (Majlis al-Shaab)
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Constitutional Supreme Court, judges appointed for four years by the president; High Judicial Council; Court of Cassation; State Security Court
RELIGIONS
74% Sunni Muslims; 16% other Muslims, 10% Christians; Jewish minorities
From the country
- JANUARY 16, 2004SyriaDEATH PENALTY
The Lebanese government announced in a statement that...
The Lebanese government announced in a statement that six prisoners on death row had their sentences reduced to life in prison with hard labour
- APRIL 24, 2003SyriaDEATH PENALTY
Syria voted against the resolution on the death penalty...
Syria voted against the resolution on the death penalty approved by the UN Commission on Human Rights, in Geneva
- AUGUST 11, 2002SyriaDEATH PENALTY
Syria released a leading communist dissident after...
Syria released a leading communist dissident after 27 years in jail because of serious health problems, human rights lawyers said
- APRIL 25, 2002SyriaDEATH PENALTY
Syria voted against the resolution 2002/77 on the death...
Syria voted against the resolution 2002/77 on the death penalty at the 58th UN Commission on Human Rights
- FEBRUARY 20, 2002SyriaDEATH PENALTY
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, on his first visit...
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, on his first visit to the West since the September 11 attacks, pledged to support the battle against terrorism, but warned that a complete victory would be impossible
- FEBRUARY 20, 2002SyriaDEATH PENALTY
Hands off Cain, the Italian Radicals and other associations...
Hands off Cain, the Italian Radicals and other associations demonstrated in protest as Syrian dictator Bashar Assad met Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni and demanded that Italian authorities make human rights in Syria the focus of bilateral talks
- JANUARY 17, 2002SyriaDEATH PENALTY
Syria applies the death penalty for drug trafficking...
Syria applies the death penalty for drug trafficking whilst the punishment for possession of drugs is life imprisonment
- JANUARY 1, 2002SyriaDEATH PENALTY
Capital crimes are: treason, murder, violent robberies,...
Capital crimes are: treason, murder, violent robberies, rape, verbal opposition to the government, and membership in the Muslim brotherhood
- JANUARY 1, 2002SyriaDEATH PENALTY
Aggravated murder, aggravated rape and offenses against...
Aggravated murder, aggravated rape and offenses against the State are capital crimes
- JANUARY 1, 2002SyriaDEATH PENALTY
In Syria the death penalty can be given for certain...
In Syria the death penalty can be given for certain crimes of homicide and for certain political acts such as bearing arms against Syria in the ranks of the enemy, desertion of the armed forces to the enemy and acts of incitement under martial law or in w
- JANUARY 1, 2002SyriaDEATH PENALTY
On april 8, 2001 the Deputy Speaker of the Syrian parliament,...
On april 8, 2001 the Deputy Speaker of the Syrian parliament, Abdallah Musilli, said a special official committee was formed several years ago to examine the subject of death sentences "and it concluded that capital punishment in Syria is confined to some
- NOVEMBER 11, 2001SyriaDEATH PENALTY
Syria has extradited to Egypt the man behind the shooting...
Syria has extradited to Egypt the man behind the shooting of 58 British and other foreign tourists at Luxor in 1997