Inside >> No. 10 MSF Suspends Danish Immigration Damascus Declares Telecom Trouble as Activities in Wake Authorities Strip 94 Russia Will Provide MTN Comes into of Deadly Fire in Syrian Refugees of Wheat Aid (Again) Asma Al-Assad’s ‘Unsafe’ Al-Hol Camp Residency Permits Past wheat aid from Orbit Security deterioration Denmark is the first Russia has frequently The fate of Syria’s prompts MSF to EU country to deem fallen short second-largest provider temporarily halt aid in Damascus safe Pg 6 is evidence of the First the camp for return Lady’s ambitions Pg 5 Pg 6 Pg 7 8 March 2021 | Vol. 4 | 8 March 2021 | Vol. Russia Destroys After Tafas Self-Administration ‘Cave’ Hospital in Meeting, Louka Announces Plan to Hama’s Kafr Zeita Agrees to Release Divide Deir-ez-Zor The ‘most secure health 30 Detainees into 4 Cantons facility in Syria’ is Detainee releases The move is important, demolished are good PR before but its potential impact Pg 7 upcoming elections is less certain date Pg 8 Pg 9 New Civil Status Law Raises Concerns Over Identity Cards and HLP Rights > Page 2 Syria Up Weekly Political, Economic, and Security Outlook Political, Weekly Syrian parliament approves new Civil Status Law. Source: Syrian Panorama 02 Syria Update | In-Depth Analysis n 1 March, the Syrian People’s Assembly updated >the nation’s Civil Status Law. AlthoughO the update can be seen as a procedural refresher, it has sparked concerns inside Syria and abroad that it will leave Syrians without the means of renewing critically important national ID cards unless they can physically enter Government of Syria areas. The Government of Syria has downplayed these fears, yet worries over the law’s potential to disenfranchise Syrian identity card. Source: Enab Baladi and dispossess Syria’s displaced and refugee populations have persisted. notorious reconstruction-related Who would be affected laws, Law No. 10 and Decree No. 66. by the decision? Attention gravitated to Article 54 For many Syrians, the ID card of the law, which deals with the However, there is reason to doubt — which is issued to citizens renewal of personal identity cards, such a sweeping interpretation when they reach 14 years of age as a result of reporting by the Syrian of the article is on the cards — at — represents their only proof of Arab News Agency, which singled least for the time being. Article identification. Many Syrians do out the article in its coverage of 54 recapitulates terms spelled not hold passports. As a result, a the update. Article 54 stipulates out in the 2007 Civil Status Law, particular concern pertains to those that identity cards remain valid for which were suspended when the who entered Lebanon using only 10 years, and they must be replaced Government of Syria opted not to their ID. It is unclear whether the not less than 30 days and not more issue new identity cards. Indeed, introduction of a new identity card than six months prior to their the validity of national ID cards will prohibit them from re-entering expiry. Many Syrians are currently may be extended on the basis of Syria in the future. Additionally, unable to renew their identity cards force majeure by decision of the the ID card is the key to accessing because they live abroad or they minister of interior. On 2 March, services and navigating Syria’s reside in areas of Syria where there the Ministry of Interior issued a bureaucracy, and it serves as a is no access to Government of Syria clarification stating that identity prerequisite for the issuance of civil institutions. The potential cards currently in use will remain other government documents and impact of invalidating the IDs valid until the Government of Syria certificates. Crucially, identity cards held by such individuals could be announces the issuance of a new are necessary for housing, land, staggering. Inside Syria, national style of ID. For Syrians, that is cold and property (HLP) transactions. ID cards are critical for accessing comfort. Plans have circulated for a Affected individuals may be locked government services, making new ID format that will reportedly out of HLP dealings, such as selling property-related transactions, support biometric data, and it their property or legally appointing and receiving NGO-administered will link to the status of criminal a sponsor to manage their assets. aid. For Syrians in neighboring charges against the cardholder, states, the ID cards often serve as introducing further legal barriers The new law therefore raises a primary travel document. If IDs to movement and access to services. acute worry over the properties were invalidated, it would create Although it is not clear when the of displaced individuals, a chief the grounds for potential property new IDs will be issued, rollout will concern of the Syria response. concerns on a level not mooted since once again revive the concerns now As such, the law may have a the introduction of Syria’s most circulating over Article 54. disproportionate negative impact In-Depth Analysis | Syria Update 03 on the large number of former charges to apply for new civil opposition supporters who were documentation. However, this forcibly displaced as a result of Ministry of Interior decision is military activities or reconciliation. unlikely to prompt the Syrian Identity cards are also presumed population to apply for missing to be crucial for voting, including documents or new identity cards, in the presidential election this especially given that they need to year. Bringing in new identity interact with the state to secure cards and invalidating old ones such documents; those who avoid prior to upcoming elections risks interaction with the Government out disenfranchising Syrians who of fear of reprisal or detention are, reside outside of Government- thus, incapable of benefitting from controlled areas or live abroad. If such decrees. It is quite possible the Government were to facilitate that the Syrian Government, by access to IDs for Syrians abroad, amending the Civil Status Law, is it would likely use this step as a looking to formalise and digitise show of goodwill to legitimise the information about citizens, whether electoral process. residing in Syria or abroad – thus increasing the ease with which Currently, ID renewal requires the population can be surveilled, physical return to Government- monitored, and monitised. controlled areas in Syria, and Syrian Moreover, the furor generated by embassies do not renew such cards the event echoes the public outrage for Syrians abroad. However, if the caused by ambiguous statements Government of Syria were to begin by public officials concerning the issuing IDs through embassies, it confiscation of properties earlier would likely do so with the hopes this year. Many Syrians viewed the of generating revenues. ID renewal earlier confiscation rumours as a inside Syria costs approximately cynical ploy to push draft dodgers to 1,000 SYP; given that the law does sell their properties rather than risk not specify the renewal process confiscation (see:Syria Update 22 for Syrians outside the country, February 2021). All told, the events the Government has latitude to demonstrate that – regardless of impose substantial renewal costs, intent – low trust in Government as it has done with the issuance institutions will make these legal of passports and other documents, updates hard to implement. which routinely cost hundreds of dollars (see: Syria Update 21 December 2020). Keeping tabs on the population This new Civil Status Law came into force shortly after the Ministry of Interior reached a decision that eases the process for acquiring other civil documentation (see: Syria Update 1 March 2020). The decision effectively removed the conditions that prevented individuals with outstanding 2 4 DENMARK VARIOUS LOCATIONS TURKEY Danish Immigration Telecom Trouble as MTN Malikiyeh Authorities Strip 94 Syrian Comes into Asma Al-Assad’s Quamishli Refugees of Residency Permits Orbit Jarablus Tell Abiad Azaz Tal Tamer Menbij Afrin Al-Hasakeh Al Bab Ein Issa Aleppo Al-Hol camp Ar-Raqqa Idleb Saraqab 1 Ma'arrat Lattakia At-Tabqa An Nu'man MSF Suspends Activities Deir-Ez-Zor Kafr Zeita in Wake of Deadly Fire 5 Hama in ‘Unsafe’ Al-Hol Camp Russia Destroys ‘Cave’ Tartus Hospital in Hama’s Kafr Zeita Homs Tadmor Abu Kamal LEBANON 7 Beirut Duma Self-Administration 3 Damascus Announces Plan to Divide Deir-ez-Zor into 4 Cantons IRAQ Damascus Declares As-Sanamayn Russia Will Provide Quneitra 6 Wheat Aid (Again) Tafas After Tafas Meeting, As-Sweida Dar'a Louka Agrees to Release 30 Detainees JORDAN Community Size Syria Update a new network of Syrian researchers who will contribute to research Greater than Less than he Wartime and Post- informing international policy and 1,000,000 1,000 Conflict Syria project practice related to their country. 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