This is an overview of an online research on legislation in Syria (as of January 2024). This overview aims to serve as a starting point to facilitate the research into legal texts. However, it should not replace independent verification of the different legal texts as to their currency, validity and accuracy. Please also bear in mind that official translations of legal texts only exist in rare cases.
Researching Laws
The website of the Syrian Parliament (Majlis ash-Sha'b) provides a database that enables a search for laws and decrees. The website is available in Arabic only. It offers an overview of all current legislation and shows the title and the number of each legislation as well as the date it came into force.
- Syrian Arab Republic – Parliament: Decrees and Laws [Arabic]
http://www.parliament.gov.sy/arabic/index.php?node=200&Service=-1&RID=-1&Vld=-1
The Syrian state news agency SANA regularly publishes laws and amendments to laws that have recently come into force. These publications are accessible via the following link:
- SANA – Syrian Arab News Agency: Decrees and Laws [Arabic]
https://www.sana.sy/?cat=214
The database Refworld, operated by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), provides English translations of selected legislation:
- Refworld: Country Search Syria, set filter to National Legislative Bodies
https://www.refworld.org/publisher,NATLEGBOD,,SYR,,,0.html
To access the collection of selected national laws of Syria on ecoi.net, please follow this link.
Constitution
The current constitution of the Syrian Arab Republic came into force in 2012. The original in Arabic as well as an English translation were published by the Constitute Project and are accessible via the following links:
- Constitution of the Syrian Arab Republic, 2012, Arabic version, published by Constitute Project
https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Syria_2012.pdf?lang=ar - Constitution of the Syrian Arab Republic, 2012, English translation, published by Constitute Project
https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Syria_2012?lang=en
Criminal Law
The Penal Code with the legislation number 148 was adopted in 1949 and is still in force. The Arabic version of the penal code can be found in the law database of the Syrian Parliament, with the note that it is a version amended by Law Decree 1 of 2011. It was not possible to ascertain whether other amendments were also incorporated into the code:
- Syrian Penal Code 148 of 1949 (as amended by Legislative Decree 1 of 2011) [Arabic], published on 1 January 1949
http://www.parliament.gov.sy/arabic/index.php?node=201&nid=12278&RID=-1&Last=1&First=0&CurrentPage=0&Vld=-1&Mode=-1&Service=-1&Loc1=0&Key1=%DE%C7%E4%E6%E4%20%C7%E1%DA%DE%E6%C8%C7%CA&SDate=&EDate=&Year=1949&Country=&Num=148&Dep=-1&
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) provides a version of the Penal Code containing amendments up to 1974 on its website:
- WIPO – World Intellectual Property Organization: Penal Code (issued by Legislative Decree No. 148/1949), adopted on 22 June 1949 with amendments up to 31 March 1974
https://wipolex.wipo.int/en/legislation/details/10918
No translation of the Syrian Penal Code could be found.
A search in the legislation database of the Syrian Parliament shows that the last amendment to the Penal Code was adopted in 2022:
- Law No. 15 of 2022, President Al-Assad issues a law that contains amendments to a series of articles from the Penal Code [Arabic], published on 28 March 2022
http://www.parliament.gov.sy/arabic/index.php?node=201&nid=22937&RID=-1&Last=190&First=0&CurrentPage=0&Vld=-1&Mode=-1&Service=-1&Loc1=0&Key1=%DE%C7%E4%E6%E4%20%C7%E1%DA%DE%E6%C8%C7%CA&SDate=&EDate=&Year=-1&Country=&Num=&Dep=-1&
The above search further showed amendments from years 2018, 2016, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2009, 2008 and 1950. To access the search result (last accessed on 16 January 2024), please follow this link.
Criminal Procedure Code
The law database of the Syrian Parliament provides an Arabic version of the Syrian Criminal Procedure Code (Legislative Decree No. 112 of 13 March 1950), with the note that it is a version amended by Law Decree 17 of 2004. It was not possible to ascertain whether other amendments were also incorporated into the code:
- Criminal Procedure Code 112 of 1950, [Arabic] (amended by Law Decree 17 of 2004), 13 March 1950
http://www.parliament.gov.sy/arabic/index.php?node=201&nid=11810&RID=-1&Last=21&First=0&CurrentPage=0&Vld=-1&Mode=-1&Service=-1&Loc1=0&Key1=%DE%C7%E4%E6%E4%20%C7%D5%E6%E1%20%C7%E1%E3%CD%C7%DF%E3%C7%CA%20%C7%E1%CC%D2%C7%C6%ED%C9&SDate=&EDate=&Year=-1&Country=&Num=&Dep=-1&
No translation of the Criminal Procedure Code could be found.
Military Service Law
- Legislative Decree No. 30 of 2007 (Military Service Law) [Arabic], 12 May 2007
http://parliament.gov.sy/arabic/index.php?node=201&nid=4921&
Since the outbreak of protests against the government in 2011, the law has been amended several times. However, these amendments have not been incorporated into the the body of the legal text available on the official law database. Therefore, please look out for any amending laws, such as Legislative Decree No. 35 of 2011 on the duration of military service (available at this link), the Legislative Decree No. 12 of 2019 on deferral regulations (available at this link) or Legislative Decree No. 31 of 2020 on regulations regarding the payment of an exemption fee (available at this link).
Military Penal Law
An Arabic version of the Military Penal Law of 1950 is available on the website of the Syrian law database:
- Military Penal Law 61 of 1950[Arabic], 27 February 1950
http://www.parliament.gov.sy/arabic/index.php?node=201&nid=11811&RID=-1&Last=56&First=0&CurrentPage=0&Vld=-1&Mode=-1&Service=-1&Loc1=0&Key1=&SDate=&EDate=&Year=-1&Country=&Num=61&Dep=-1&
An unofficial English translation of excerpts of the Military Penal Law of 1950 was published by UNHCR and is available via the following link:
- Legislative Decree No. 61/1950, Military Penal Law (Extracts), published by UNHCR
https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/1393713/1930_1487665752_58a5e1b34.pdf
A search in the legislation database of the Syrian Parliament shows amendments to the Military Penal Law from 2023, 2012 and 2011. To access the search result (last accessed on 16 January 2024), please follow this link.
Between 2015 and 2024, several legislative decrees were issued which, among other things, provided amnesties for people who had deserted or evaded military service (the latest one on 16 November 2023, available at this link). Opposition voices and observers warned that these amnesties are a trap to compel more citizens to join the army. You can find this and other information here:
- Syria Justice and Accountability Centre: Syria’s Newest Decree: Amnesty or a Political Stunt?, 26 September 2019
https://syriaaccountability.org/syrias-newest-decree-amnesty-or-a-political-stunt/ - Syrian Observer: Mixed Reactions Following Desertion Amnesty, 27 January 2022
https://syrianobserver.com/security/72953/mixed-reactions-following-desertion-amnesty.html
Additional information on conscientious objection and desertion can be found in the ACCORD featured topic from January 2024 (in German):
- ACCORD – Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation: ecoi.net featured topic on Syria: Military Service, 16 January 2024
https://www.ecoi.net/en/countries/syrian-arab-republic/featured-topics/military-service-syria/
Citizenship Law
The Syrian Law on Citizenship was adopted in 1969 through Presidential Decree No. 276.
The Arabic version of this presidential decree is available on the legislation database of the Syrian parliament:
- Legislative Decree No. 276 of 1969 Syrian Arab Nationality + Executive Instructions [Arabic], 24 November 1969
http://parliament.gov.sy/arabic/index.php?node=201&nid=8182&RID=-1&Last=1&First=0&CurrentPage=0&Vld=-1&Mode=-1&Service=-1&Loc1=0&Key1=&SDate=&EDate=&Year=1969&Country=&Num=276&Dep=-1&
A translation of the Law on Citizenship of 1969 is provided by UNHCR and available via the following link:
- Legislative Decree 276, published in the Official Gazette No. 55 on 17 December 1969, English translation, published by UNHCR, 24. November 1969
https://www.refworld.org/country,,,LEGISLATION,SYR,,4d81e7b12,0.html
The Norwegian Refugee Council and the Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion have created an overview of the most important legal provisions regarding the acquisition and the loss of the Syrian Citizenship:
- ISI – Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion / NRC – Norwegian Refugee Council: Nationality, documentation and statelessness in Syria, undated
http://www.syrianationality.org/index.php?id=18
Information on the large number of stateless people in Syria can also be found on the ISI and NRC website:
- ISI – Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion / NRC – Norwegian Refugee Council: Stateless populations in Syria, not dated
http://www.syrianationality.org/index.php?id=19
(all links accessed January 2024, unless otherwise stated)
Cite as:
ACCORD - Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation: ecoi.net Syrian Arab Republic Law Guide, January 2024
https://www.ecoi.net/en/countries/syrian-arab-republic/law-guide/
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