# Constitution of Syria (2025)

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The Constitutional Declaration of the Syrian Arab Republic

## INTRODUCTION

At the dawn of a fateful day, the morning of victory breathed anew, and Syria embarked on a new call, marking the end of oppression and tyranny and the rebirth of hope for building a modern state based on justice, dignity, and true citizenship. Tyranny had weighed heavily on the chests of Syrians, lasting for six decades under the rule of an oppressive regime that monopolized power, seized rights, suppressed state institutions, emptied the constitution of its essence, and turned it into a mere tool for repression and exclusion. This resulted in a dark and unjust era. The people rose up, demanding their freedom and reclaiming their dignity, but they were met with systematic killings at the hands of the Assad regime, including mass murder, total destruction, brutal torture, forced displacement, severe sieges, and direct targeting of civilians. Homes were destroyed over the heads of their inhabitants—sometimes with explosive barrels and other times with chemical weapons. These crimes, constituting war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, stand as stark violations of human values and international laws.
Yet, with unwavering faith, resilience, and legendary perseverance, the Syrian people did not surrender. Instead, they continued their great revolution for nearly fourteen years, during which the free sons and daughters of Syria shed their blood and made immense sacrifices. Ultimately, a new dawn broke, and the sun of liberation rose over Damascus on December 8, 2024, marking the end of the criminal Assad regime and its supporters. This historic victory was then officially declared, documenting the triumph of the Syrian revolution and the restoration of the people’s decision-making power and sovereignty over their land.
And today, as the homeland has returned to its people and they have returned to rebuild its foundations and safeguard its borders, the historical responsibility now necessitates the continuation of the journey towards justice, ensuring that the tragedy is never repeated, and protecting future generations from any new form of tyranny.
In fulfillment of this national duty, and following intensive dialogues among various segments of Syrian society—held in an atmosphere of freedom and constructive exchange of perspectives on Syria’s future—these discussions culminated in the convening of the National Dialogue Conference. The outcomes of this conference were issued on February 25, 2025, highlighting key principles:
* Preserving the unity and integrity of Syria, both its land and people.
* Achieving transitional justice and ensuring justice for victims.
* Building a state based on citizenship, freedom, dignity, and the rule of law.
* Regulating the country’s affairs during the transitional phase according to the principles of good governance.
Based on the deep-rooted and authentic values that distinguish Syrian society with its diversity and rich heritage, and in accordance with the firm national and humanitarian principles, as well as drawing inspiration from the spirit of previous Syrian constitutions, particularly the 1950 Constitution (the Independence Constitution), and in implementation of the provisions of the Syrian Revolution Victory Declaration issued on December 29, 2024—
The President of the Republic hereby issues the following constitutional declaration, of which this preamble is an inseparable part:

## CHAPTER ONE: GENERAL PROVISIONS
### Article 1

The Syrian Arab Republic is an independent state with full sovereignty. It is an indivisible geographical and political unity, and no part of it may be relinquished.

### Article 2

The state shall establish a political system based on the principle of the separation of powers and shall guarantee the freedom and dignity of its citizens.

### Article 3

* The religion of the Republic’s President is Islam, and Islamic jurisprudence shall be the principal source of legislation.
* Freedom of belief is safeguarded, and the state shall respect all divine religions and guarantee the freedom to practice all religious rites, provided they do not disturb public order.
* Personal status matters shall be governed by religious laws according to the applicable legislation.

### Article 4

The Arabic language is the official language of the state.

### Article 5

Damascus is the capital of the Syrian Arab Republic. The national emblem and anthem of the state shall be determined by law.

### Article 6

The Syrian flag shall have the following form:
The flag shall be a rectangle with a length equal to one and a half times its width.
It shall consist of three equal horizontal stripes: green on top, white in the middle, and black on the bottom.
The middle of the flag, within the white stripe, shall feature three red stars.

### Article 7

* The state is committed to preserving the unity of Syrian territory and criminalizes any act of secession, calls for division, or appeals for foreign intervention or external influence.
* The state is committed to achieving coexistence, social stability, and maintaining civil peace while preventing discord, division, incitement, and provocation of violence.
* The state shall uphold the cultural diversity of Syrian society in all its components and protect the cultural and linguistic rights of all Syrians.
* The state guarantees the fight against corruption.

### Article 8

* The state shall coordinate with relevant countries and entities to facilitate the reconstruction process in Syria.
* The state shall work in coordination with relevant countries and international organizations to remove obstacles to the voluntary return of refugees, displaced persons, and all forcibly displaced individuals.
* The state is committed to combating all forms of extremism and violent radicalism while respecting rights and freedoms.

### Article 9

* The army is a professional national institution whose mission is to protect the country, maintain its security and territorial integrity, and uphold the rule of law.
* The army and security forces shall be unified institutions. It is prohibited for any individual, entity, or group to establish military or paramilitary formations, and the possession of weapons shall be restricted to the state.

## CHAPTER TWO: RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS
### Article 10

All citizens are equal before the law in rights and duties, without discrimination based on race, religion, or gender.

### Article 11

* The state establishes an economic system based on fair free competition and the prevention of monopolies.
* The national economy is based on fair competition, the prevention of monopolies, and the improvement of citizens’ standard of living.

### Article 12

* The state safeguards human rights and fundamental freedoms and guarantees the rights and freedoms of its citizens.
* All human rights and freedoms recognized in this Constitutional Declaration are inalienable and integral.

### Article 13

* The state guarantees freedom of opinion, expression, and the press.
* All citizens have the right to freedom of movement. No citizen may be exiled from their homeland or prevented from returning to it.

### Article 14

* The state guarantees freedom of opinion, expression, the press, and the media.
* Citizens have the right to free movement, and no citizen may be exiled from their homeland or prevented from returning.
* The state guarantees freedom of association, including the right to form and join trade unions and other professional organizations.

### Article 15

* Work is a right of every citizen, and the state ensures the principle of equal opportunities for all citizens.

### Article 16

* Work is a right and duty of every citizen, and the state guarantees the principle of equal opportunities among citizens.

### Article 17

* The right to litigation, legal defense, and appeals is guaranteed by law. No legal provision may grant immunity to any law from judicial review.

### Article 18

* The state safeguards human dignity and physical integrity and prohibits enforced disappearance and torture.
* No person may be detained, held, or deprived of their liberty except by a judicial decision.

### Article 19

* The state works to protect children from exploitation, abuse, and mistreatment.

### Article 20

* The state shall preserve the social status of women and safeguard their dignity.
* The state shall ensure the protection of women from all forms of oppression, injustice, and violence and shall guarantee their rights.

### Article 21

The state shall protect and promote the family as the foundation of society.

### Article 22

The state shall safeguard the rights enshrined in this chapter. These rights shall be exercised in accordance with the law and may be subject to restrictions only in accordance with legal principles and to protect public order, morals, and the rights of others.

## CHAPTER THREE: THE SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE DURING THE TRANSITIONAL PHASE
### First: The Legislative Authority

The legislative authority shall be exercised by the representative body.

#### Article 24

* The President of the Republic shall form a Supreme Committee to select the members of the People’s Assembly.
* The Supreme Committee shall oversee the formation of subsidiary electoral bodies, which shall elect two-thirds of the members of the People’s Assembly.
* The President of the Republic shall appoint one-third of the members of the People’s Assembly to ensure fair representation and competence.

#### Article 25

* A member of the People’s Assembly may not be dismissed except with the approval of two-thirds of its members.
* A member of the People’s Assembly shall enjoy parliamentary immunity.

#### Article 26

* The People’s Assembly shall exercise legislative authority until a permanent constitution is adopted and new legislative elections are conducted in accordance with it.
* The term of the People’s Assembly shall be thirty months, renewable.

#### Article 27

Members of the People’s Assembly shall take the oath before the President of the Republic, with the following wording: "I swear by Almighty God to perform my duties with honesty and sincerity."

#### Article 28

The People’s Assembly shall, in its first session, elect a Speaker, two deputies, and a secretary by secret ballot and by majority vote. The oldest member shall preside over the first session until the election of the Speaker.

#### Article 29

The People’s Assembly shall draft its internal regulations within one month of its first session.

#### Article 30

* The People’s Assembly shall undertake the following functions:
a. Propose and approve laws. b. Amend or repeal existing laws. c. Ratify international treaties. d. Approve the state’s general budget. e. Grant general amnesty. f. Accept or reject the resignation of its members or lift their parliamentary immunity in accordance with its internal regulations. g. Conduct ministerial hearings.
* The People’s Assembly shall make decisions by majority vote.

### Second: The Executive Authority
#### Article 31

The President of the Republic and the ministers shall exercise executive power within the limits set forth in this Constitutional Declaration.

#### Article 32

The President of the Republic is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, responsible for managing the affairs of the country, maintaining its territorial unity and integrity, and protecting the interests of the people.

#### Article 33

The President of the Republic shall take the constitutional oath as follows: “I swear by Almighty God to sincerely safeguard the sovereignty of the state, the unity of the country, the integrity of its territory, and the independence of its decisions, to defend it, to respect the law, to protect the interests of the people, and to strive with all sincerity and honesty to uphold noble values and virtues.”

#### Article 34

The President of the Republic shall appoint one or more Vice Presidents, define their responsibilities, relieve them from office, and accept their resignations. If the presidency becomes vacant, the Vice President shall assume the powers of the President of the Republic.

#### Article 35

* The President of the Republic shall appoint and dismiss ministers and accept their resignations.
* Ministers shall take the oath before the President of the Republic with the following wording: "I swear by Almighty God to perform my duties with honesty and sincerity."

#### Article 36

The President of the Republic shall issue executive, regulatory, and administrative decrees, as well as presidential orders and decisions, in accordance with the law.

#### Article 37

The President of the Republic shall represent the state and have the final authority to sign treaties with foreign states and international organizations.

#### Article 38

The President of the Republic shall appoint and dismiss heads of diplomatic missions to foreign countries and accept the credentials of foreign diplomatic representatives.

#### Article 39

* The President of the Republic shall have the right to propose laws.
* The President shall issue laws passed by the People’s Assembly and has the right to object to them. If the People’s Assembly reapproves the law with a two-thirds majority, the President is obliged to issue it.

#### Article 40

* The President of the Republic has the authority to grant amnesty.
* If there is a grave and imminent threat to national unity, the safety and independence of the homeland, or the functioning of state institutions, the President may declare a state of emergency after obtaining approval from the National Security Council and consulting the Speaker of the People’s Assembly and the President of the Constitutional Court. The extension of a state of emergency beyond one additional term shall require the approval of the People’s Assembly.

#### Article 41

The executive authority is responsible for:
    a. Proposing draft laws for the President of the Republic to submit for approval.
    b. Managing state affairs and implementing public policies that ensure stability and development.
    c. Preparing draft laws for the President of the Republic to propose.
    d. Managing state affairs and implementing general policies that ensure stability and development.
    e. Preparing and implementing projects for public services and development.
    f. Managing and utilizing state resources effectively and transparently.
    g. Rebuilding public institutions and strengthening the rule of law and good governance.
    h. Establishing a security institution that upholds national sovereignty, protects the people, and strictly adheres to the law.

#### Article 42

* The judiciary shall be independent, and judges shall be subject only to the law.
* The Supreme Judicial Council shall ensure the proper functioning of the judiciary.

#### Article 43

Special courts shall be prohibited, and the judicial system shall consist of ordinary and administrative courts.

#### Article 44

* The judicial system shall have a dual structure, consisting of ordinary courts and administrative courts.
* A new Supreme Constitutional Court shall be established, replacing the previous Supreme Constitutional Court.
* The Supreme Constitutional Court shall consist of seven members appointed by the President of the Republic. The law shall define the court’s jurisdiction, as well as the conditions for appointing and the powers of its judges.

### Chapter Four: The Transitional Justice System
#### Article 45

The state shall establish a suitable foundation for achieving transitional justice through:
* Repealing all exceptional laws.
* Abolishing the counterterrorism court, which was used to suppress the Syrian people, including returning confiscated properties.
* Abolishintg extraordinary security measures related to official documents.
* Establishing a mechanism for transitional justice based on effective consultative approaches, centered on victims, to determine methods of accountability and justice.
* Crimes against humanity, war crimes, genocide, and all crimes committed by the former regime shall not be subject to any amnesty.

#### Article 46

The judiciary shall be independent, and judges shall be subject only to the law. The Supreme Council of the Judiciary shall ensure the proper functioning of the judiciary.

#### Article 47

The judicial system shall be dual, consisting of ordinary courts and administrative courts. The establishment of exceptional courts shall be prohibited.

#### Article 48

The State shall establish a suitable framework for achieving transitional justice through:
* The abolition of all exceptional laws that have harmed the Syrian people and are inconsistent with human rights.
* Annulment of unjust rulings issued by the counterterrorism court, which was used to oppress the Syrian people, including the return of confiscated properties.
* The abolition of exceptional security measures related to civil and real estate documents used by the former regime to suppress the Syrian people.

#### Article 49

* A body shall be established to implement transitional justice, adopting effective consultative mechanisms focused on victims, to determine methods of accountability, the right to truth, and justice for victims and survivors, in addition to honoring the martyrs.
* War crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and all crimes committed by the former regime shall be exempt from the principle of non-retroactivity of laws.
* The state shall criminalize the glorification of the former Assad regime and its symbols. Denying, praising, justifying, or downplaying its crimes shall be considered criminal offenses punishable by law.

#### Article 50

The Constitutional Declaration may be amended with the approval of two-thirds of the People’s Assembly upon the proposal of the President of the Republic.

#### Article 51

Existing laws shall remain in effect unless they are amended or repealed.

#### Article 52

The transitional period shall last for five calendar years, beginning from the date this Constitutional Declaration comes into effect. It shall end upon the adoption of a permanent constitution and the organization of elections accordingly.

#### Article 53

This Constitutional Declaration shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come into effect from the date of its publication.
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