بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
The New Syria: Unjust Prison Sentences at a Dangerous Stage
(Translated)
Al-Rayah Newspaper - Issue 581 - 07/01/2026
By: Ustadh Ahmed Maaz
On Friday, (02/01/2026), a protest was held at the Seven Wells roundabout in Idlib by relatives of detained mujahideen who supported the state during the events on the coast in March of last year. The protesters demanded the release of their sons, who have been detained for many months on charges related to violating “civil peace” in the country. Several protesters pointed out that their sons went to the coast to support the Syrian state and defend the gains of the revolution, which the remnants of the defunct Bashar al-Assad regime tried to crush. A number of activists participating in the protest questioned why honorable mujahideen are being detained, while hundreds of the Bashar regime thugs are being released under the pretext that their hands are not stained with blood. It is worth noting that a large number of martyrs from the security forces, police, and army fell at the hands of the remnants of the defunct regime and criminal sectarian gangs during the coup attempt in the Syrian coastal region in March 2025.
These movements and popular anger in Idlib province come at a time when outrage continues to grow over the unjust sentences handed down by the Syrian judiciary to members of Hizb ut Tahrir, who have been detained for three years in Idlib prisons. The sentences ranged from three to ten years in prison, following illegitimate trials devoid of any semblance of due process. The court was held in a cave, the judges were masked, and the verdicts were unjust and oppressive. It should be noted that these Hizb ut Tahrir members, along with many others, were arrested for their rejection of the political agreements, the closure of front lines, and the prohibition of fighting the regime at that time. They are, therefore, prisoners of conscience only. Despite this, they were sentenced to lengthy prison terms, prompting people to break their silence, and launch a major media campaign, demanding the immediate release of all prisoners of conscience in Idlib prisons.
All of this is happening amidst a suspicious government silence, while large groups of regime thugs, soldiers, officers, and criminals — those who have been complicit in the bloodshed of the Syrian people and participated in the regime’s crimes throughout the years of the revolution — are being released. Some of them, even drug traffickers, have been freed through tribal mediation, and in exchange for exorbitant sums of money. This blatant disregard for justice by the transitional government, whose ministers and officials have been constantly touting its supposed commitment to the Syrian people, is truly appalling.
Justice is the foundation of governance, but it seems the leadership of the interim phase reads this principle, but fails to grasp its meaning. They are unwilling to fulfill their Shariah obligation to take care of the people and rule justly. Indeed, one of their followers has gone so far as to claim that prisoners of conscience in Idlib prisons pose a greater threat to the state than the remnants of the old regime, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and the regime’s thugs! This reveals the prevailing mentality in managing the country’s affairs, and lays the groundwork for a dangerous phase, whose early signs are already appearing for the Syrian people. This tells the people that the gains of the revolution are in danger, as long as the factional leadership mentality persists, the unjust treatment of opponents continues, and the concept of a unified state, as they claim day and night, has not yet been adopted.
The country is going through a critical phase, and it is imperative to take the initiative to find sound solutions to confront the challenges. Ignoring the demands of the popular base, and continuing down a path of provocation, in response to foreign pressures, will not bring any good to the country or its people. The issue of prisoners of conscience must be resolved at its root, as its effects are worsening, and the consequences of injustice are dire. Keeping them in prison while releasing the enemies of the revolution — figures from the ousted Bashar regime and its remnants — is extremely dangerous, symbolic, and consequential, and it pushes us toward undesirable outcomes.
The people of Syria, who rose up from the beginning against injustice, must remain steadfast in upholding the principles of the blessed revolution until its goals are fully achieved. Foremost among these goals is the establishment of justice and the rejection of oppression.
They must not be swayed by slogans and fleeting trends, nor should foreign pressures on the leadership of this phase lead to an escalation of injustice, a loss of control, and a descent into disastrous consequences and immense loss. We are speaking here of just one issue among thousands that can only be addressed within the framework of the just ruling governance of Islam and its long-awaited state.
The responsibility is immense, and the risks are great. Allah (swt) sees, hears, and knows what is in the hearts. So, fear Allah (swt) and beware of injustice, for injustice is darkness, and its consequences are dire in this world before the Hereafter.