The Syrian Future Movement celebrates World Book and Copyright Day, a significant occasion that underscores the vital role of knowledge and free expression in the development and advancement of societies.
The Syrian Future Movement reaffirms its full support for writers and authors, considering them the cornerstone of intellectual and creative renaissance. It also renews its rejection of any measure that restricts freedom of publishing and authorship, including the decision issued by the Ministry of Information on 2025-04-22, which mandates prior approval for books before publication.
The Syrian Future Movement believes that freedom of expression is a fundamental right guaranteed by both international and widely agreed-upon Syrian charters. However, this freedom must be balanced with the responsibility of safeguarding society against hate speech, sectarianism, and incitement to violence—threats to Syria’s social fabric and contradictions to globally recognized legal and human rights principles.
The Syrian Future Movement calls for a reformulation of this decision within a framework that respects the freedom of authorship and publication, while ensuring legal protection from any content that threatens social peace or violates established human rights treaties.
In this regard, the Syrian Future Movement proposes a balanced approach through:
- The adoption of a legal deposit system that permits book publication without prior censorship, with the possibility of post-publication content review through clear and defined legal procedures.
- The establishment of strict human rights-based criteria to ensure that no regulatory decision is used as a tool to suppress free thought, with a focus on preventing incitement and extremism in violation of local and international laws.
- The development of legal objection and appeal mechanisms granting authors and publishers the right to defend their work before independent judicial bodies, thereby protecting freedom of expression from unjustified infringements.
The Syrian Future Movement believes that Syria needs an open intellectual space that ensures the right of creators to freely express themselves, while preserving the values of coexistence and mutual respect among all members of society.
The Syrian Future Movement calls on all intellectual, cultural, and legal institutions to work together to ensure a fair and free publishing environment that upholds authors’ rights and protects the unity of society from hate speech and division.
