In light of the Syrian Ministry of Information’s launch of the “Code of Professional and Ethical Conduct for the Media Sector in Syria 2026,” the Syrian Future Movement affirms its unwavering commitment to strengthening media independence and freedom of expression as a fundamental pillar for building a democratic, civil state, based on the goals of the Syrian revolution in achieving justice and national reconciliation.
The Syrian Future Movement appreciates the efforts made in drafting the code as an attempt to regulate the media sector, especially during a sensitive transitional phase that requires confronting chaos and combating hate speech. It acknowledges the participation of hundreds of journalists in workshops that lasted for months and the code’s inspiration from advanced international models.
The Syrian Future Movement expresses its concern regarding the issuance of the code by a governmental executive body, which raises legitimate concerns about its potential transformation into an indirect censorship tool. This concern is underscored by the criticisms of the Syrian Journalists Association, which categorically rejected the code for violating the principle of self-regulation, the Constitutional Declaration, and the conventions of the International Labour Organization.
The Syrian Future Movement supports the position of the Association and independent experts in rejecting any government oversight of the profession. It notes that the lack of independence of the body overseeing implementation and the ambiguity of complaint and accountability mechanisms could reproduce the patterns of repression that Syrian media suffered for decades.
The Syrian Future Movement proposes seeking practical solutions to overcome these challenges, including the formation of an independent media council comprising representatives from unions and independent journalists to redraft the code of ethics through participatory democratic mechanisms. This would draw on successful experiences such as that of Tunisia, where the Independent High Authority for Communication contributed to strengthening self-regulation without government interference.
The Syrian Future Movement calls for an annual open conference to develop the code of ethics, including all media and civil society stakeholders, to ensure its voluntary, guiding nature and prevent its application through any licensing or punitive conditions. It also emphasizes the need for its equal application to both state-run and independent media.
The Syrian Future Movement believes that the success of any media initiative depends on building trust and transparency, and calls on the concerned parties to engage in a comprehensive national dialogue that strengthens the role of the media in reconstruction and civil peace, while adhering to its vision of building the future Syria as a state that respects freedoms and relies on competencies and institutions.
