Statement of the Yazidi Council of Syria on the Constitutional Declaration

Statement of the Yazidi Council of Syria on the Constitutional Declaration

Syria witnessed major political transformations following the fall of the Syrian regime on December 8, 2024. The Syrian people, across all segments of society, welcomed the end of the authoritarian rule that had lasted for more than half a century, hoping to build a just, democratic state. However, the hasty decisions and actions that followed by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), starting with the inauguration of the president through military factions, followed by the formation of a national dialogue committee, the holding of a national conference without consensus, and finally the constitutional declaration, left Syrians deeply disappointed.

We, the Yazidi Council of Syria, believe that the proposed constitutional declaration does not reflect the aspirations of Syrians to build a just, democratic state. Rather, it constitutes a dangerous retreat from the principles of citizenship and pluralism, which are the foundation of any modern political system. Ignoring UN Resolution 2254 and imposing a unilateral vision for the Syrian state through constitutional provisions biased on sectarian grounds, such as requiring that the religion of the head of state be Islam and that Islamic jurisprudence be the primary source of legislation, reflects an attempt to impose an exclusionary religious-nationalist system that marginalizes millions of non-Arab and non-Muslim Syrians and undermines the rights of Kurds, Syriacs, Assyrians, Armenians, and other religious groups such as Christians and Yazidis.

Therefore, it is necessary to point out the adoption of the principles of the civil state, the separation of religion and state, the redrafting of Article 3 to be consistent with human rights in accordance with human rights conventions, the consideration of the International Bill of Human Rights as the primary source of legislation, the removal of the phrase “heavenly religions” from Article 1, paragraph 2, linking the concept of public order to the International Bill of Human Rights, and, with regard to personal status, an explicit reference to the Yazidi component, which has suffered over the past decades from the official denial of the state, as an authentic Syrian component entitled to recognition of its own personal status.
The Yazidis, as a historical and indigenous community in Syria, have been subjected throughout the ages to massacres and persecutions amounting to genocide. This has contributed to the deterioration and decline of their numbers on their historical land, exposing them to the risk of extinction. Despite this, the Constitutional Declaration completely ignores their rights and reproduces the policies of discrimination and exclusion that Syrians have suffered for decades. Therefore, those overseeing the drafting of the Constitutional Declaration should have taken into account efforts to alleviate the injustice suffered by such communities through emergency development projects aimed at saving what can be saved, as well as utilizing a quota system for their honorary representation and preserving their moral national presence within the councils and institutions of the anticipated Syrian state.
Furthermore, granting the transitional president broad powers, including the formation of the Constitutional Court and the appointment of a third of the members of the People’s Assembly, reflects an authoritarian approach that enshrines individual authority, rather than establishing a democratic system of government based on the separation of powers and fair representation of all communities.

The situation is further exacerbated by the fact that the constitutional declaration coincided with a dangerous escalation targeting specific groups, most notably the Alawite sect. The days preceding the declaration witnessed horrific crimes against Alawite civilians, reflecting an exclusionary tendency that transcends the political framework and directly incites sectarian violence. We condemn these massacres in the strongest terms and hold fully responsible all those who contributed to inciting them or turned a blind eye to them. We affirm that Syria cannot be built on sectarianism and violence, but rather on the foundations of a state of law, citizenship, justice, equality, and pluralism.

We affirm that Syria’s future cannot be confiscated or determined by individual decisions imposed by a single party. Rather, it must be achieved through a comprehensive national dialogue that represents all segments of the Syrian people, based on democratic foundations that respect human rights and guarantee a state of citizenship based on justice, equality, and the rule of law.

Accordingly, we, the Yazidi Council of Syria, categorically reject the proposed draft constitution. We call on all democratic forces, including human rights organizations and civil society, to stand against this dangerous deviation from the path of democracy and to work to convene a genuine national conference that lays the foundations for a civilized constitution that represents all Syrians without exclusion or discrimination.

Yazidi Council of Syria
March 16, 2025