Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1993 states that any Syrian caught trying to emigrate or travel abroad without permission may be arrested and prosecuted (1994, 1289). The report does not mention the penalty for such an act (ibid.).

According to an official at the Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic in Washington, DC, it is not considered to be a criminal offence if a person leaves Syria for Lebanon, Jordan or Egypt without having an exit visa (10 June 1994). The official stated that individuals travelling to Lebanon and Jordan generally do so by car, and that they are only required to present their Syrian identity cards at the border (ibid.). The official stated that exit visas are not required to fly to Egypt (ibid.).

The official added that Syrian exit visas are not required and it is not considered to be a criminal offence if an individual who travelled to Lebanon, Jordan or Egypt, subsequently travels to a third country (ibid.).

The official stated that exit visas are required to travel to countries other than Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon (ibid.). He added that due to tight airport and border security, it is "virtually impossible" for individuals without exit visas to depart Syria for countries other than Egypt, Jordan or Lebanon (ibid.). The official stated that leaving Syria without reporting to border authorities constitutes a criminal offence, but he did not know the nature of the penalty (ibid.).

According to a representative of Middle East Watch in New York, any penalties for leaving Syria without proper authorization generally relate to possible evasion of the military draft (10 June 1994). According to the representative, individuals must be able to prove that they have either served in the military or have been granted a certificate of exemption or postponement before they are allowed to leave the country (ibid.). The representative corroborated the information provided by the embassy that exit visas are not required to visit Egypt, Lebanon or Jordan, but added that proof of military service, postponement or exemption is necessary in order to leave (ibid.). The representative stated that leaving the country without having served in the military or having been granted a military exemption or postponement can result in a prison sentence of up to three years (ibid.).

A representative of the Women's Studies Centre in Jerusalem stated that to the best of her knowledge, all women's organizations in Syria are state-run institutions (10 June 1994). According to a sociologist with expertise in Syrian affairs and gender issues, the Syrian Women's Federation is officially an independent "popular organization" (10 June 1994). However, she stated that in reality the organization does not function autonomously, as it is linked to the ruling Ba'th party (ibid.). She stated that the organization was created by the party in 1969 and that it is active throughout the country (ibid.). She stated that the organization provides literacy and employment training and runs day care centres for the children of working women, and on occasion acts as a legal advocacy group (ibid.).

The representative of Middle East Watch in New York stated that all Syrian unions, guilds and organizations must be sanctioned by the government (10 June 1994). He stated that legally, the Syrian Women's Federation is an independent entity and that it is not officially part of the government apparatus (ibid.). However, he added that the organization is embedded in the Ba'th party's organizational structure (ibid.).

This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

County Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1993. 1994. United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office.

Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic, Washington, DC. 10 June 1994. Telephone interview with official.

Middle East Watch, New York. 10 June 1994. Telephone interview with representative.

Sociologist with expertise in Syrian affairs and gender issues, Ottawa. 10 June 1994. Telephone interview.

Women's Studies Centre, Jerusalem. 10 June 1994. Telephone interview with representative.