Arbitrary measures imposed on the people of As-Suwayda Governorate

The Syrian Future Movement is following with great concern the recent developments in As-Suwayda Governorate, where a militia calling itself the “National Guard,” in cooperation with the so-called “Legal Committee,” has imposed severe restrictions on the movement of citizens to and from the governorate, in flagrant violation of the most basic civil and political rights guaranteed by international law.

The Syrian Future Movement believes that these measures constitute a clear violation of several international conventions, most notably:

• Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966): which stipulates that “everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of any state,” and “no one may be restricted from leaving any country, including his own, except by virtue of law and as required by necessity.”
• Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: which guarantees everyone’s right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of any state, and the right to leave any country and return to it.
• International Humanitarian Law: which prohibits the imposition of collective restrictions on civilians without genuine security justification and prohibits collective punishment or discrimination based on geographic or political affiliation.

The Syrian Future Movement warns against the content of these arbitrary measures, particularly:

• Preventing citizens from leaving Sweida without submitting an official request and obtaining a “travel document” from the militia’s operations room.
• Refuting university students from traveling, requiring a residency permit or an external visa.
• Restricting the entry of Sweida residents residing in Damascus unless they have a sponsor within the governorate.
• Subjecting those entering to a security investigation to ensure they are not affiliated with security agencies.

The Syrian Future Movement strongly condemns these illegal measures, which constitute a violation of the rule of law and human rights. It rejects the logic of militias governing Sweida outside the framework of the state and perpetuating a separatist reality that threatens the country’s unity.

The Syrian Future Movement emphasizes that these practices do not serve security, but rather deepen divisions and fuel feelings of anger and popular resentment. We also demand that the Syrian government assume its constitutional responsibilities to protect citizens’ rights and halt the militias’ aggression.

The Syrian Future Movement calls on the international community and United Nations organizations to urgently intervene, document these violations, and hold those responsible accountable before competent international courts.

The Syrian Future Movement calls for:

1. The necessity of disbanding the armed militias outside the law and restoring authority to civilian state institutions.
2. Launching a comprehensive national dialogue that ensures the representation of all components of Syrian society and addresses the causes of tension in Sweida and elsewhere.
3. Forming an independent investigative committee to review violations in the governorate and ensure their non-recurrence.
4. Strengthening the role of local civil society in monitoring security and administrative performance and empowering it to defend basic rights.

The Syrian Future Movement stands with the people of Sweida in the face of these repressive policies and all that violates their national and human rights. It renews its commitment to a national project that guarantees freedom and dignity for all Syrians without exception.