Preparing your experience
Memorandum submitted by the Western Syria Alliance to international organizations outlining alleged violations by the de facto authorities in Syria and warning of risks faced by minority communities.
PUBLISHED
August 23, 2025
READ TIME
3 min read
SOURCE
Dr. Ed Kh
This memorandum is submitted to international organizations concerned with human rights, minority protection, and international peace, with the aim of documenting the grave violations attributed by the Western Syria Alliance to the de facto government led by Ahmad al-Sharaa (al-Jolani), and outlining the legal, political, and social reasons that make coexistence with this authority impossible and a serious threat to minorities in Syria and to regional stability.
Despite attempts at political rebranding and reforms, Ahmad al-Sharaa remains aligned with jihadist ideological frameworks associated with al-Qaeda, retaining decisive authority over major decisions.
This ideological framework contradicts several international legal standards, including:
The de facto authorities bear direct responsibility for:
Minorities have been excluded from meaningful political participation. Many official appointments are symbolic, while actual authority is exercised by clerical figures affiliated with the ruling movement — constituting systematic discrimination in violation of Article 2 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Alleged economic practices include:
These actions violate the right to an adequate standard of living under Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Religious institutions have been reshaped through the replacement of moderate religious figures with hardline clerics, alongside the dissemination of ideological material promoting militant interpretations of religion — contributing to the spread of transnational extremist ideologies that pose broader security risks.
Military and security institutions are being rebuilt around ideological principles framed as the "Army of the Ummah", with publicized training and messaging emphasizing militant doctrines.
Educational curricula have been altered to reduce emphasis on pluralism and secular governance, replacing them with ideologically driven content. In universities, new student groups aligned with these ideologies have emerged, contributing to the spread of radicalization among youth.
Documented incidents of displacement and violence occurred across:
The Western Syria Alliance concludes that coexistence with the current de facto authorities represents a serious threat to Syrias minority communities and to broader regional stability.
The organization calls upon international organizations to:
Western Syria Alliance (WSA) August 23, 2025
