The Syrian Future Movement affirms that the rule of law in the new Syria is based on the complete separation of powers, and that the executive branch’s encroachment on media work under administrative pretexts is a setback to the principles of liberation that were established on the ruins of the police state.
The Syrian Future Movement announces its categorical rejection of the circular issued by the Ministry of Information on March 25, 2026, prohibiting the operation of the platforms (Hashtag, Jisr, and Al-Daleel). It considers this a blatant violation of Article 13 of the Constitutional Declaration, which guarantees freedom of opinion, expression, media, publication, and the press. This article explicitly prohibits the suspension, confiscation, or closure of any media outlet except through a final judicial ruling, not by an administrative decision from a supervisory authority.
The Syrian Future Movement emphasizes that the concept of “legal licensing” should be a regulatory procedure to facilitate media work, not a tool for granting or denying licenses based on security or political criteria. It asserts that limiting media legitimacy to the approval of the “Directorate of Press Affairs” reproduces the system of repression and silencing of voices. The Syrian Future Movement believes this circular represents an “overreach of jurisdiction” and an infringement on the authority of the judiciary. Professional or administrative violations, if any, should be adjudicated before the competent courts with guaranteed rights of defense, not addressed by immediate bans that threaten the job security of hundreds of Syrian journalists.
The Syrian Future Movement demands that the relevant authorities immediately withdraw this unconstitutional circular and calls upon human rights organizations and journalists’ unions to stand against this dangerous precedent, which opens the door to the elimination of independent media outlets under the guise of administrative action.
The Syrian Future Movement reiterates its commitment to safeguarding public freedoms and affirms that the dignity of free speech and the independence of media institutions are the only guarantees against a return to tyranny. The Syrian Future Movement will not accept any restrictions on the media in Syria.
