about the Case
The organization and establishment of civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations in Syria is governed by a 1958 law. Under this law, it is almost impossible to register an independent civil organization. This law witnessed a breakthrough during Bashar al-Assad’s assumption of power in Syria. The Syrian regime is alert to the seriousness of this situation, so the movement has been stoned, its members arrested and its organizations dissolved and banned.
Under this law, many organizations were established for children, youth and women, but they were the exclusive preserve of the Baath Socialist Party. In late 2015 a draft law was prepared to regulate the civil work in Syria and was submitted to the People’s Assembly in the hope of assisting relief and economic development organizations to provide assistance and support to the victims of the Syrian conflict. However, the law was withdrawn in early 2016 and the file was closed.
This situation is not absent in the rest of the Syrian regions in the Syrian opposition areas. There are no laws regulating this issue, especially since the Islamic courts that administer the legislation do not include a basis for civil work and democracy and human rights issues which in their opinion are considered a Western heresy. Civil organizations are subject to military control and military faction trends, many of whom have been abducted and their headquarters closed.
IN 2014 Northeastern Syria has gone out of government control due to the ongoing bloody conflict between the Syrian government and the opposition . The region is subject to the influence of the USA. A local government was established independent of the Syrian government It is led by the Kurds of Syria. The official name of this government is The Democratic Self-Administration in northern and eastern Syria. This administration implements a law on associations No. 3 of 2017 Which violates global standards of the right to freedom of association.
What we have done in this case
Since August 2018, FFHR has been seeking to change the Associations Law in The three regions FFHR has held several activities to achieve the goal of its campaign.
FFHR worked on two tracks relied on the strategy of empowering civil society organizations in northeastern Syria regarding the right to freedom of association and the exercise of its activities.
Then we mobilized them to demand the authority to amend
In 2019, Law No. 3 of 2017 was amended to Law No. 2 of 2019 and amendments were made to its articles in NESyria
empowering CSOs in NE-Syria
The first track:
Through our awareness unit
- Preparation of 2 training manual on:
1- International standards for the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association
2- The Modern advocacy tactics - Holding 20 training workshops in 6 Basic cities ( Hassakah, Qamishli, Amouda, Raqqa, Deirazour, Derek) in NE-Syria Attended by more than 83 CSOs
APPROXIMATELY 100 CIVIL ACTIVIST PARTICIPATED IN WORKSHOPS ON POLITICAL FREEDOMS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW
Legal analysis of the law
completion of the first track:
Through our LEGAL SUPPORT UNIT
Status of the right to freedom of association Syrian government area
In the report’s methodology, FFHR said that, based on the legal analysis of the Fraternity Foundation for Human Rights, Law No. 93 of 1958, the reality of its application, and its approaches to the obligations of the Syrian Arab Republic to the international conventions that it joined, signed and ratified.It concluded in the legal analysis of the status of the right of association under national law and its contradiction with international standards.
And by approaching the practical reality about the real mechanism that is followed in the process of registration, publicity and activity, with the legal reference from all articles of Law No. 93 of 1958 on which civil society associations and organizations in the Syrian government-controlled area are based in the mechanism of their registration and publicity, supported by testimonies from the organizations we interviewed.
Policy paper on ADANS’s law of associations in NESyria
This policy paper is the production of early work of (FFHR) that aims at influencing the decision-making processes and enriching the debate regarding the rights to freedom of association. Moreover, this paper aims at activating the role of relevant actors – Non-Governmental Organisations – on the Syrian and Kurdish scene, in order to ensure the full enjoyment of the rights to peaceful assembly and association.
Analytical report: Right to Freedom of association in NESyria
The report confirms the legal criticism of the Fraternity Foundation for Human Rights-FFHR in its policy paper issued in 2018 on Law No. 3 of 2017, in addition to the applicable questionnaire, the weakness of the legislative structure of the law regarding building a balanced relationship between the freedom to form local organizations and their responsibility.
With regard to exploring the reality and its practices, a comprehensive questionnaire was designed for the various aspects of the report and its indicators (Appendix 1) and distributed to a sample of civil organizations operating in the Jazira and Raqqa regions in north-eastern Syria, which operate under Law No. 3 of 2017 regulating the organizations’ work. The sample consisted of 39 organizations, in the cities of Qamishli, Hasaka, Maabada, Raqqa, Deir Ezzor and Manbij.
Mobilized CSOs to demand the authority to amend the Law No.3/2017
The second track:
Through our ADVOCACY UNIT
DIALOGUE WITH CSOS AND THE AUTHORITIES IN NESYRIA ON WAYS TO ENHANCE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
With the aim to enhance civic participation and improve the legislative environment through an open dialogue between the authorities and CSOs, Especially with regard to developing the legislative environment and means of communication between the two parties and review the difficulties faced by civil society organizations. Fraternity Foundation for Human Rights (FFHR) – on March 31 ,2021 in Qamishli city – held a dialogue session on the best way to enhance the role of CSOs in NE-Syria in the civic Engagement .
legislative council of the (ADANS) in dialogue with FFHR on legislation and the associations’ law.
With a view to open a dialogue between authorities and citizens and to promote political participation and democratic practices, Fraternity Foundation for Human Rights (FFHR) – on Tuesday, October 13, 2018 in Qamishli city – held a dialogue session on legislation, enactment of new laws and associations’ law.
