| SYRIA Syrian Arab Republic Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah Joined United Nations: 24 October 1945 Human Rights as assured by their constitution Updated 02 March 2013 |
Chapter 2: Rights, freedoms and the rule of law
Part 1: Rights and Freedoms
Article 33
1. Freedom shall be a sacred right and the state shall guarantee the personal freedom of citizens and preserve their dignity and security;
2. Citizenship shall be a fundamental principle which involves rights and duties enjoyed by every citizen and exercised according to law;
3. Citizens shall be equal in rights and duties without discrimination among them on grounds of sex, origin, language, religion or creed;
4. The state shall guarantee the principle of equal opportunities among citizens.
Article 34
Every citizen shall have the right to participate in the political, economic, social and cultural life and the law shall regulate this.
Article 35
Every citizen shall be subjected to the duty of respecting the Constitution and laws.
Article 36
1. The inviolability of private life shall be protected by the law;
2. Houses shall not be entered or inspected except by an order of the competent judicial authority in the cases prescribed by law.
Article 37
Confidentiality of postal correspondence, telecommunications and radio and other communication shall be guaranteed in accordance with
the law.
Article 38
1. No citizen may be deported from the country, or prevented from returning to it;
2. No citizen may be extradited to any foreign entity;
3. Every citizen shall have the right to move in or leave the territory of the state, unless prevented by a decision from the competent court
or the public prosecution office or in accordance with the laws of public health and safety.
Article 39
Political refugees shall not be extradited because of their political beliefs or for their defense of freedom.
Article 40
1. Work shall be a right and a duty for every citizen, and the state shall endeavor to provide for all citizens, and the law shall organize
work, its conditions and the workers' rights;
2. Each worker shall have a fair wage according to the quality and output of the work; this wage shall be no less than the minimum wage
that ensures the requirements of living and changes in living conditions;
3. The state shall guarantee social and health security of workers.
Article 41
Payment of taxes, fees and public costs shall be a duty in accordance with the law.
Article 42
1. Freedom of belief shall be protected in accordance with the law;
2. Every citizen shall have the right to freely and openly express his views whether in writing or orally or by all other means of expression.
Article 43
The state shall guarantee freedom of the press, printing and publishing, the media and its independence in accordance with the law.
Article 44
Citizens shall have the right to assemble, peacefully demonstrate and to strike from work within the framework of the Constitution
principles, and the law shall regulate the exercise of these rights.
Article 45
Freedom of forming associations and unions shall be based on a national basis, for lawful purposes and by peaceful means which are
guaranteed in accordance with the terms and conditions prescribed by law.
Article 46
1. Compulsory military service shall be a sacred duty and is regulated by a law;
2. Defending the territorial integrity of the homeland and maintaining the secrets of state shall be a duty of every citizen.
Article 47
The state shall guarantee the protection of national unity, and the citizens’ duty is to maintain it.
Article 48
The law shall regulate the Syrian Arab citizenship.
Article 49
Election and referendum are the right and duty of the citizens and the law shall regulate their exercise.
Part 2: Sovereignty of Law
Article 50
The rule of law shall be the basis of governance in the state.
Article 51
1. Punishment shall be personal; no crime and no punishment except by a law;
2. Every defendant shall be presumed innocent until convicted by a final court ruling in a fair trial;
3. The right to conduct litigation and remedies, review, and the defense before the judiciary shall be protected by the law, and the state
shall guarantee legal aid to those who are incapable to do so, in accordance with the law;
4. Any provision of the law shall prohibit the immunity of any act or administrative decision from judicial review.
Article 52
Provisions of the laws shall only apply to the date of its commencement and shall not have a retroactive effect, and it may apply otherwise
in matters other than criminal.
Article 53
1. No one may be investigated or arrested, except under an order or decision issued by the competent judicial authority, or if he was
arrested in the case of being caught in the act, or with intent to bring him to the judicial authorities on charges of committing a felony or
misdemeanor;
2. No one may be tortured or treated in a humiliating manner, and the law shall define the punishment for those who do so;
3. Any person who is arrested must be informed of the reasons for his arrest and his rights, and may not be incarcerated in front of the
administrative authority except by an order of the competent judicial authority;
4. Every person sentenced by a final ruling, carried out his sentence and the ruling proved wrong shall have the right to ask the state for
compensation for the damage he suffered.
Article 54
Any assault on individual freedom, on the inviolability of private life or any other rights and public freedoms guaranteed by the
Constitution shall be considered a punishable crime by the law.
Part 1: Rights and Freedoms
Article 33
1. Freedom shall be a sacred right and the state shall guarantee the personal freedom of citizens and preserve their dignity and security;
2. Citizenship shall be a fundamental principle which involves rights and duties enjoyed by every citizen and exercised according to law;
3. Citizens shall be equal in rights and duties without discrimination among them on grounds of sex, origin, language, religion or creed;
4. The state shall guarantee the principle of equal opportunities among citizens.
Article 34
Every citizen shall have the right to participate in the political, economic, social and cultural life and the law shall regulate this.
Article 35
Every citizen shall be subjected to the duty of respecting the Constitution and laws.
Article 36
1. The inviolability of private life shall be protected by the law;
2. Houses shall not be entered or inspected except by an order of the competent judicial authority in the cases prescribed by law.
Article 37
Confidentiality of postal correspondence, telecommunications and radio and other communication shall be guaranteed in accordance with
the law.
Article 38
1. No citizen may be deported from the country, or prevented from returning to it;
2. No citizen may be extradited to any foreign entity;
3. Every citizen shall have the right to move in or leave the territory of the state, unless prevented by a decision from the competent court
or the public prosecution office or in accordance with the laws of public health and safety.
Article 39
Political refugees shall not be extradited because of their political beliefs or for their defense of freedom.
Article 40
1. Work shall be a right and a duty for every citizen, and the state shall endeavor to provide for all citizens, and the law shall organize
work, its conditions and the workers' rights;
2. Each worker shall have a fair wage according to the quality and output of the work; this wage shall be no less than the minimum wage
that ensures the requirements of living and changes in living conditions;
3. The state shall guarantee social and health security of workers.
Article 41
Payment of taxes, fees and public costs shall be a duty in accordance with the law.
Article 42
1. Freedom of belief shall be protected in accordance with the law;
2. Every citizen shall have the right to freely and openly express his views whether in writing or orally or by all other means of expression.
Article 43
The state shall guarantee freedom of the press, printing and publishing, the media and its independence in accordance with the law.
Article 44
Citizens shall have the right to assemble, peacefully demonstrate and to strike from work within the framework of the Constitution
principles, and the law shall regulate the exercise of these rights.
Article 45
Freedom of forming associations and unions shall be based on a national basis, for lawful purposes and by peaceful means which are
guaranteed in accordance with the terms and conditions prescribed by law.
Article 46
1. Compulsory military service shall be a sacred duty and is regulated by a law;
2. Defending the territorial integrity of the homeland and maintaining the secrets of state shall be a duty of every citizen.
Article 47
The state shall guarantee the protection of national unity, and the citizens’ duty is to maintain it.
Article 48
The law shall regulate the Syrian Arab citizenship.
Article 49
Election and referendum are the right and duty of the citizens and the law shall regulate their exercise.
Part 2: Sovereignty of Law
Article 50
The rule of law shall be the basis of governance in the state.
Article 51
1. Punishment shall be personal; no crime and no punishment except by a law;
2. Every defendant shall be presumed innocent until convicted by a final court ruling in a fair trial;
3. The right to conduct litigation and remedies, review, and the defense before the judiciary shall be protected by the law, and the state
shall guarantee legal aid to those who are incapable to do so, in accordance with the law;
4. Any provision of the law shall prohibit the immunity of any act or administrative decision from judicial review.
Article 52
Provisions of the laws shall only apply to the date of its commencement and shall not have a retroactive effect, and it may apply otherwise
in matters other than criminal.
Article 53
1. No one may be investigated or arrested, except under an order or decision issued by the competent judicial authority, or if he was
arrested in the case of being caught in the act, or with intent to bring him to the judicial authorities on charges of committing a felony or
misdemeanor;
2. No one may be tortured or treated in a humiliating manner, and the law shall define the punishment for those who do so;
3. Any person who is arrested must be informed of the reasons for his arrest and his rights, and may not be incarcerated in front of the
administrative authority except by an order of the competent judicial authority;
4. Every person sentenced by a final ruling, carried out his sentence and the ruling proved wrong shall have the right to ask the state for
compensation for the damage he suffered.
Article 54
Any assault on individual freedom, on the inviolability of private life or any other rights and public freedoms guaranteed by the
Constitution shall be considered a punishable crime by the law.
Syria possesses one of the oldest civilizations in the world with archeological evidence
demonstrating a great Semitic empire which arose around 3000 BCE. The Elbian Empire was
conquered first by Sargon of Akkad and then the Hittites around the second millennium
BCE. This was followed by successive waves of Canaanites, Phoenicians, Arameans,
Egyptians, Sumerians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks, Romans and Byzantines. In the
12th century, Syria was conquered by the Fatimids, and became the center of anti-crusader
activity but its coast was conquered by Frankish Crusaders in the 12th Century. The first
Christian church was established by Paul in Antioch. Mongol attacks in the 13th Century
leading to Syria's eventually being absorbed into the Ottoman Empire in the 16th Century.
Following World War I, Syria was split into two protectorate, the south (Transjordan) being
control by England and the north (modern-day Syrian and Lebanon) by the French who
established an independent Hashimite Kingdom under King Faisal which touched off revolts
and the forging of a Treaty of Independence in September 1936 and the promulgation of a
constitution. Though France initially reneged, independence was at last recognized by
France on 1 January 1944. The prevent constitution was adopted on 13 March 1973 and has
been replaced by a new constitution adopted by referendum on 26 February 2012. Human
rights are enumerated beginning with Chapter 2: Rights, Freedoms and the Rule of Law,
conforms with the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights of which Syria is a signatory
and are detailed below. For a full English translation of Syria's Constitution, click here.
demonstrating a great Semitic empire which arose around 3000 BCE. The Elbian Empire was
conquered first by Sargon of Akkad and then the Hittites around the second millennium
BCE. This was followed by successive waves of Canaanites, Phoenicians, Arameans,
Egyptians, Sumerians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks, Romans and Byzantines. In the
12th century, Syria was conquered by the Fatimids, and became the center of anti-crusader
activity but its coast was conquered by Frankish Crusaders in the 12th Century. The first
Christian church was established by Paul in Antioch. Mongol attacks in the 13th Century
leading to Syria's eventually being absorbed into the Ottoman Empire in the 16th Century.
Following World War I, Syria was split into two protectorate, the south (Transjordan) being
control by England and the north (modern-day Syrian and Lebanon) by the French who
established an independent Hashimite Kingdom under King Faisal which touched off revolts
and the forging of a Treaty of Independence in September 1936 and the promulgation of a
constitution. Though France initially reneged, independence was at last recognized by
France on 1 January 1944. The prevent constitution was adopted on 13 March 1973 and has
been replaced by a new constitution adopted by referendum on 26 February 2012. Human
rights are enumerated beginning with Chapter 2: Rights, Freedoms and the Rule of Law,
conforms with the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights of which Syria is a signatory
and are detailed below. For a full English translation of Syria's Constitution, click here.