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Syria walks back Damascus alcohol ban after outcry from residents
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Syria walks back Damascus alcohol ban after outcry from residents Alex MacDonald on Sun, 03/22/2026 - 12:32 Governorate apologises to Christian communities who argued they were being singled out by new ban Syrians protest in the neighbourhood of Bab Touma over public restrictions, including alcohol (screengrab) Off Syrian authorities have walked back an announced ban on alcohol in Damascus after outcry from residents and accusations of sectarianism. In an announcement issued on Monday, the city of Damascus ordered that "the sale of alcoholic beverages is prohibited in restaurants and nightclubs throughout the city" with the exception of the Christian neighbourhoods of Bab Touma, Qassaa and Bab Sharqi. It cited "numerous" complaints and requests from locals and said the new ban was aimed at "eliminating practices contrary to public morals". On Sunday, following criticism and protests from Damascus residents, the governorate issued a "clarification" which appeared to loosen the restrictions. It said that there would be exceptions for alcohol sales for tourism purposes, such as in hotels, restaurants and other designated premises. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The statement also issued an apology to Christian residents of the city, who said the decision to single out their communities was sectarian and discriminatory. "The Damascus Governorate apologises to our people in Bab Touma, Qassaa and Bab Sharqi for the misunderstanding that arose from the decision, which was circulated inappropriately," said the statement. "These areas are considered part of the beating heart of the capital and constitute an icon of its identity and culture. The Governorate will reconsider the three areas mentioned in the decision in a way that does not offend any of its constituent groups." Since overthrowing Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, the government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa – whose now liquidated group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham was a former al-Qaeda affiliate – has largely refrained from imposing social restrictions on the population. However, a number of recent announcements, including a January ban on female public sector employees wearing make-up and mandatory full-body swimsuits on public beaches last year, have raised concerns that this could be changing. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Although the majority of Syria is composed of conservative Sunni Muslims who largely refrain from drinking alcohol for religious reasons, many secular Sunnis and other religious and ethnic minorities see an alcohol ban as a threat to civil liberties. Residents of the Bab Touma neighbourhood held a protest on Sunday against a range of grievances, including the alcohol restrictions. View this post on Instagram A post shared by اخبار سوريا الوطن Syria News (@syriawatannews) Demonstrators, which included both Muslims and Christians, said the legislation was "sectarian" and threatened community cohesion. A number of organisations representing Syrian Christians also issued a joint letter criticising the restrictions, saying they posed a threat to their community. "Restricting the sale of alcohol to predominantly Christian areas could make these areas clear and direct targets for terrorist attacks, given the painful history of targeting Christians in Syria," the statement said. "Such policies, even unintentionally, could contribute to exposing certain groups of citizens to additional risks, which necessitates their reconsideration from a perspective that takes into account the public safety of all Syrians without discrimination." (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The transitional government has struggled to contain unrest and violence at home, attacks by Israel, and managing relations with erstwhile allies and enemies. In October, the government held parliamentary elections in which Sharaa hand-picked a third of the seats, while the remaining two-thirds were chosen by local committees made up of government appointees. The process bypassed the Druze-majority Sweida province and the country's Kurdish-held northeast with their 32 seats remaining empty. According to a temporary constitution announced in March, the parliament will exercise legislative functions until a permanent constitution is adopted and new elections can be held at the end of a five-year transitional process. The new interim authorities say popular elections are unworkable in the wake of Syria's 13-year war, which saw hundreds of thousands killed and millions displaced both internally and externally. But the selection process dismayed many Syrian pro-democracy campaigners who had hoped for change after the ousting of Assad. Syria after Assad News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0
Syrian authorities have walked back an announced ban on alcohol in Damascus after outcry from residents and accusations of sectarianism.In an announcement issued on Monday, the city of Damascus ordered that "the sale of alcoholic beverages is prohibited in restaurants and nightclubs throughout the city" with the exception of the Christian neighbourhoods of Bab Touma, Qassaa and Bab Sharqi.It cited "numerous" complaints and requests from locals and said the new ban was aimed at "eliminating practices contrary to public morals".On Sunday, following criticism and protests from Damascus residents, the governorate issued a "clarification" which appeared to loosen the restrictions.It said that there would be exceptions for alcohol sales for tourism purposes, such as in hotels, restaurants and other designated premises.The statement also issued an apology to Christian residents of the city, who said the decision to single out their communities was sectarian and discriminatory."The Damascus Governorate apologises to our people in Bab Touma, Qassaa and Bab Sharqi for the misunderstanding that arose from the decision, which was circulated inappropriately," said the statement."These areas are considered part of the beating heart of the capital and constitute an icon of its identity and culture. The Governorate will reconsider the three areas mentioned in the decision in a way that does not offend any of its constituent groups."Since overthrowing Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, the government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa – whose now liquidated group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham was a former al-Qaeda affiliate – has largely refrained from imposing social restrictions on the population.However, a number of recent announcements, including a January ban on female public sector employees wearing make-up and mandatory full-body swimsuits on public beaches last year, have raised concerns that this could be changing.Although the majority of Syria is composed of conservative Sunni Muslims who largely refrain from drinking alcohol for religious reasons, many secular Sunnis and other religious and ethnic minorities see an alcohol ban as a threat to civil liberties.Residents of the Bab Touma neighbourhood held a protest on Sunday against a range of grievances, including the alcohol restrictions.A post shared by اخبار سوريا الوطن Syria News (@syriawatannews)Demonstrators, which included both Muslims and Christians, said the legislation was "sectarian" and threatened community cohesion.A number of organisations representing Syrian Christians also issued a joint letter criticising the restrictions, saying they posed a threat to their community."Restricting the sale of alcohol to predominantly Christian areas could make these areas clear and direct targets for terrorist attacks, given the painful history of targeting Christians in Syria," the statement said. "Such policies, even unintentionally, could contribute to exposing certain groups of citizens to additional risks, which necessitates their reconsideration from a perspective that takes into account the public safety of all Syrians without discrimination."The transitional government has struggled to contain unrest and violence at home, attacks by Israel, and managing relations with erstwhile allies and enemies.In October, the government held parliamentary elections in which Sharaa hand-picked a third of the seats, while the remaining two-thirds were chosen by local committees made up of government appointees.The process bypassed the Druze-majority Sweida province and the country's Kurdish-held northeast with their 32 seats remaining empty. According to a temporary constitution announced in March, the parliament will exercise legislative functions until a permanent constitution is adopted and new elections can be held at the end of a five-year transitional process.The new interim authorities say popular elections are unworkable in the wake of Syria's 13-year war, which saw hundreds of thousands killed and millions displaced both internally and externally.But the selection process dismayed many Syrian pro-democracy campaigners who had hoped for change after the ousting of Assad.
