Syria’s Ministry of Justice has published a detailed list of misdemeanours deemed “disgraceful”, disqualifying individuals from voting or standing for office. The directive, intended to uphold the integrity of the electoral process, encompasses a broad spectrum of offences that threaten state security, public trust, and societal values, as defined under Syrian penal and related laws.
The list includes crimes against state security such as the theft or disclosure of classified information vital to national safety, entering into contracts with enemy nationals, facilitating financial operations for hostile states, and disseminating false or exaggerated news abroad that could damage the state’s prestige or economic stability. Also barred are affiliations with international political or social organisations without official permission, incitement of sectarian or racial tensions, and actions likely to provoke communal conflict.
Crimes against public safety are also covered, including the obstruction of civil rights through threats or coercion, election rigging via intimidation, bribery or fraud, and manipulation of voting results.
In the sphere of public administration, the ministry targets corruption among officials. This includes accepting bribes to perform legal duties, embezzling public funds, engaging in fraudulent contracts that harm the state, or profiting personally from administrative transactions. The regulation also applies to lawyers attempting to influence judges or court-appointed experts unduly.
Offences that undermine judicial integrity—such as perjury, false expert testimony, or inaccurate legal translations—are listed, along with breaches of public trust. These include counterfeiting official seals, currency, or documents; forging tax records; securing official papers under false identities; and issuing fraudulent certificates intended for use by government authorities.
The directive also outlines crimes against religion and family, such as desecration of religious rites, adultery (especially within the marital home), incest, and the abduction or substitution of children. Violations of public morality include the sexual exploitation of detainees’ relatives, the abduction of women for forced marriage, deflowering minors under false promises of marriage, pimping, facilitating prostitution, and the production or distribution of obscene materials. It also includes unlawful sexual acts and the illegal deprivation of liberty.
Public health offences, including the distribution of adulterated food, medicine, or commercial goods, are included, along with property-related crimes such as theft, fraud, embezzlement, and usury.
In addition to the Penal Code, the list incorporates offences under Law No. 10 of 1961 on combating prostitution (where not covered elsewhere), the Economic Penal Code No. 3 of 2013, the Narcotics Law No. 2 of 1993, and select articles from the Consumer Protection Law No. 8 of 2021 addressing fraudulent practices and food adulteration.
The move comes as Syria undergoes a transitional phase, with electoral reforms under close scrutiny. Legal observers note that the broad scope of disqualifying offences could impact a substantial segment of the population with prior convictions, potentially reshaping the political landscape ahead of expected elections. The Ministry has yet to clarify how the rules will be implemented or whether affected individuals will have access to appeal mechanisms.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
