A year and a half after the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, religious minorities are still waiting for equality and the rule of law. In a statement for the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR), Syria expert Raif Toma particularly laments the lack of accountability for human rights abuses committed during the civil war and the dictatorship. Many Christian regions have been shaken by kidnappings, attacks on religious sites, and violence against civilians.

“For numerous Christians, this lack of justice is not just a legal shortcoming. It is also understood as a political signal that the crimes committed against Christians are not being given sufficient priority,” Toma notes in his analysis.

Meanwhile, the pressure to emigrate persists due to a lack of security in Christian settlements and the authorities’ treatment of Christians, who are “an integral part of the country’s history.”

“From Saidnaya through Aleppo and Damascus to the Valley of the Christians (Wadi al-Nasara), reports of security problems, property disputes, and social pressure are increasing,”

Toma continues. In Aleppo, Christian homes have been occupied, their property rights have been violated, and they have faced intimidation. Religious celebrations and public events for Christians, once common, have been restricted due to threats, particularly around Easter; even in the capital, Damascus, the Christian presence has been affected, and Christians are withdrawing from public life.

The detailed analysis can be found online at https://www.igfm.de/christenverfolgung-in-syrien-von-milizen-der-regierung/.