In general, since the fall of the Assad regime, the organisation of peaceful demonstrations in Syria has had a better track record. Most notably, the government’s security forces have generally done a decent job in protecting peaceful demonstrators, who, by contrast in the Assad era, were at risk of being attacked by government forces. For example, a person who participated in demonstrations in Damascus city in mid-April (with demonstrators harbouring a variety of grievances about the government’s economic and social policies) told me: ‘Overall I was quite impressed with the conduct of the security personnel from the Ministry of Interior.’
A new circular issued by the Interior Ministry and translated in full below stipulates that plans to hold peaceful demonstrations must obtain a permit in advance.
He contrasted this professionalism with the aggressive behaviour of some pro-government counter-protestors who threatened to upload photos of the demonstrators online. He added that in the demonstrations he attended, the security forces subsequently formed a wall that protected the demonstrators from the counter-protestors, commenting: ‘I think the protestors in general were very impressed with the Public Security [forces], and there were some chants in their favour.’
But none of this means that the organisation of peaceful demonstrations is a free-for-all in Syria.
Rather, a new circular issued by the Interior Ministry and translated in full below stipulates that plans to hold peaceful demonstrations must obtain a permit in advance.
At the same time, the circular also seeks to ensure that decisions should be made on requests rather than being held in bureaucratic limbo, with non-response to a request being considered as tantamount to a permit. It is also clear that the government is not too keen on demonstrations that touch on the sensitive topic of relations between different religious and ethnic communities, warning citizens to refrain from actions that disturb ‘civil peace’ (al-salm al-ahli, a key concept promoted by the government as a sort of inter-communal harmony).
Below are the regulations translated in full.
Syrian Arab Republic
Interior Ministry
Planning and Organisation Directorate
No. 201
Notification
Based on the rulings of the interim constitution that guaranteed the right to protest and gather peacefully and emphasised protection of public security and order, protection of lives and public and private property, and orderly functioning of public facilities with regularity and continuity
And emphasising the state’s commitment to preserving rights and freedoms in a peaceful constitutional framework, and implementing the rulings of the valid laws and regulations that have organised the practice of the right to peaceful demonstration, and have defined the conditions and mechanisms for permission to engage in peaceful demonstration in accordance with the following procedures:
a) Those who desire to organise a peaceful demonstration must form a committee composed of a head and at least two members in order to organise this demonstration. The committee submits a request for permission to organise the demonstration to the relevant province- in accordance with the defined form.
b) Within 24 hours, the province refers the request, with recommendations, to the committee tasked with deciding on the request to permit the demonstration, in order to consider and decide on the matter.
Gatherings that are organised without a license or contrary to the license are to be considered riotous demonstrations and gatherings and punishable in accordance with articles 235-238 of the penal code.
c) Within 5 days at most from the date of the registration of the request in the province’s office, the committee decides on the request for a permit. In the event of no response, that is to be considered an agreement to permit organising the demonstration. As for if the decision is rejection, it must be justified, and the one submitting the request to permit the peaceful demonstration has the right in this case to challenge the committee’s decision in front of the administrative judicial court that will decide on this challenge within a week via a ratified decision.
d) The relevant authorities in the Interior Ministry are to be responsible for providing the necessary protection for the demonstration, and offering all help possible within the limits of the valid laws and regulations.
e) The committee organising the demonstration must preserve order during the demonstration, and must work to prevent any words or actions that conflict with the content of the license granted to it.
f) No person carrying weapons is allowed to participate in a demonstration, even if he is licensed to carry them. Every cutting, piercing or bruising tool or implement that constitutes a danger to public safety will be considered a weapon.
g) The ministry can ask the organising committee to end the demonstration in the following circumstances:
1. If the demonstration exceeds the limits of the license granted to it.
2. If acts of rioting, acts that constitute crimes or behaviours that naturally disturb public order or impede the authorities from doing their jobs take place.
If that is not possible, the ministry can break up the demonstration.
h) Gatherings that are organised without a license or contrary to the license are to be considered riotous demonstrations and gatherings and punishable in accordance with articles 235-238 of the penal code.
As such, the Interior Ministry reminds all citizen brothers of the necessity of completely complying with the rulings of the law, regulations in force and procedures connected with demonstrations and public gatherings, and refraining from any acts or behaviours that naturally disturb civil peace or expose citizens’ safety to danger, or infringe on public and private property or impede the function of public facilities and institutions, under threat of legal accountability.
Damascus, 12 Dhu al-Qa’da 1447 AH, corresponding to 29 April 2026 CE
The engineer Anas Khattab
Interior Minister
cc.
- Governors: for review
- Deputies of the Interior Minister
- Interior Ministry’s advisor for legal affairs and human rights
- Directors of central administrations and units.
- Internal Security commanders in the provinces
- Media administration: to ensure this notification is broadcast via the Ministry of Information and published on the ministry’s sites.
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Published originally on May 3, 2026.
