USCIRF places Syria on Special Watch List for state violators of severe abuses of religious freedom

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has recommended that the US Department of State puts Syria on its Special Watch List for engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom. According to its 2025 report, which covers 2024, conditions last year with regards to religious freedom in the country remained poor, “with both state and non-state actors contributing to violations.”   

Although after the fall of the dictatorial regime of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, USCIRF saw many non-state actors pledging respect for religious minorities’ rights, they maintained “concerning records of religious freedom violations against those very communities.” 

With regards to the incumbent rulers of Syria, USCIRF stated that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in 2024 continued to impose a strict interpretation of Sunni Islam on Muslims and non-Muslims alike during its rule over Edleb (Idlib). With regards to the Turkish-backed groups, most notoriously those of the Syrian National Army (SNA), USCIRF stated that in parts of Holeb (Aleppo) and Rish Ayno (Ras al-Ayn), they have terrorized religious minorities and Kurds with extortion, detention, and torture.  

Because of its findings of religious freedom violations in the country, USCIRF recommends the American government to include Syria on its Special Watch List, redesignate HTS as an “entity of particular concern,” for engaging in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom, impose targeted sanctions on and freeze the assets of Syrian entities, non-state actors, and their leaders, responsible for religious freedom violations.  

Furthermore, USCIRF recommends the US government improve religious freedom in the country by supporting the Democratic Autonomous Administration of the Region of North and East Syra (DAARNES) and encouraging its religious inclusion efforts and offering technical assistance to local partners to assist in locating missing Yezidi women and girls kidnapped by the Islamic State in 2014. 

With respect to lawmakers in Congress, USCIRF recommends they raise religious freedom and issues affecting religious minorities, pass legislation funding the documentation and investigation of crimes against humanity that targeted religious minorities in Syria under the Assad government.