The Syrian Future Movement follows with great interest and satisfaction the announcement issued by the Syrian Ministry of Justice on Tuesday, June 24, 2026, regarding the committee’s follow-up on the case of Syrian citizen Majdi Na’meh (also known as Islam Alloush), who has been detained by French authorities since 2020.
While we appreciate this step, which embodies the Syrian state’s commitment to monitoring the conditions of its citizens abroad, we see it as an opportunity to expand this approach to include all Syrians detained outside the country, especially those detained in Iraq, whose fate remains uncertain and whose human and legal rights are unknown.
The Syrian Future Movement commends the Ministry of Justice’s efforts in following up on Majdi Na’meh’s case and praises the practical steps it has taken to officially contact French authorities to learn about the latest developments in the case and explore the possibility of his extradition to Syria. We also commend this step, which reflects a shift in the Syrian state’s approach towards its citizens abroad and demonstrates a seriousness in addressing their legal and humanitarian issues.
It is worth noting that Majdi Na’meh, the former spokesperson for Jaysh al-Islam, appealed in an audio message to President Ahmad al-Shar’a and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Justice to take action to transfer his case to the Syrian judiciary. He pointed to the difficult conditions of his detention in France since his arrest in 2020, the lack of any Syrian consular visits during his imprisonment, and his suffering from health problems related to his detention conditions. We appreciate the Ministry’s response to this appeal and consider it evidence that the new Syria does not abandon its citizens behind bars.
The Syrian Future Movement draws attention to the fact that Majdi Na’meh’s case is one of many similar cases. Data indicates that more than 3,543 Syrian detainees have been transferred from SDF prisons to Iraqi territory.
We recall the protests organized by the families of detainees in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates building in Damascus in April 2026, demanding information about the fate of their sons.
It is worth recalling that this issue was a focus of a UN delegation that visited the city of al-Shaddadi in the Hasakah countryside on April 23, 2026, to discuss the case of detainees transferred to Iraq.
The Syrian Future Movement emphasizes that the continued uncertainty surrounding the fate of these detainees is a stain on the conscience of the international community and threatens their fundamental rights to a fair trial and humane treatment.
The Syrian Future Movement reiterates its unwavering support for the rights of Syrian detainees abroad, as published on its official website, including:
- The statement “Release of 51 Detainees in Hasakah Governorate” (dated February 22, 2026), which considered the release of the detainees a confidence-building measure and called for expediting the comprehensive release of all detainees.
- The statement “Rania al-Abbasi’s Children and a New Phase in the Transitional Justice Process” (dated May 31, 2026), which stressed that uncovering the truth is an inherent right of the victims and their families that does not expire with time.
Based on its national responsibility, the Syrian Future Movement recommends the following:
- Expanding the scope of the Committee for the Transfer of Convicts to include monitoring the conditions of all Syrians detained abroad, particularly in Iraq, and developing a clear mechanism for communicating with their families and providing them with legal and humanitarian support.
- Coordinating with international human rights organizations, such as the Red Cross and Human Rights Watch, to pressure Iraqi authorities to disclose the fate of Syrian detainees and guarantee their rights to a fair trial and healthcare, given the organizations’ warnings about their risk of enforced disappearance and unfair trials.
- Establishing a unified national database containing all available information on Syrians detained abroad, to be updated regularly, to serve as a resource for the government and the families of detainees, ensuring that no file is lost or forgotten.
- Launching a broad diplomatic and media campaign to highlight the issue of Syrian detainees abroad and urging the international community to pressure the relevant countries to disclose their fate and work towards their return to their homeland or guarantee them fair trials.
The Syrian Future Movement affirms its support for the Ministry of Justice’s efforts in pursuing the case of Majdi Na’meh and commends this step, which demonstrates the state’s commitment to protecting the rights of its citizens wherever they may be.
We reiterate that the continued uncertainty surrounding the fate of thousands of Syrians abroad, particularly in Iraq, is an open wound in the conscience of the nation and requires urgent and comprehensive action from the government and the international community.
Furthermore, we believe the Syrian government is now called upon to extend this concern to include all detainees, working to uncover their fate and return them to their homeland, or to guarantee them fair trials. This step would be a genuine beginning to turning the page on their suffering and building a new Syria that leaves none of its sons and daughters behind bars.
