Syria: Whether there is a 1973 law regarding attendance to Mosques
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 January 1999 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | SYR30940.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Syria: Whether there is a 1973 law regarding attendance to Mosques, 1 January 1999, SYR30940.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ab8228.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Three specialists on Syria have never heard of a law passed in 1973 on attendance at mosques in Syria (22 Jan. 1999; 26 Jan. 1999; 25 Jan. 1999). They added that it would be unlikely that the régime would try to control or restrict attendance at mosques in Syria because it would cause unnecessary public disturbances. The Syria Imams are appointed by the state and all sermons delivered in Syrian Mosques are reviewed by the Interior Ministry (ibid.).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Former visiting lecturer on Middle Eastern issues in Universities and War Colleges in the United States, Arlington, Virginia. 22 January 1999. Telephone interview. The specialist is also a former consultant to the US Defence Department on the Middle East and has published extensively on the Middle East and Syria with academic publishing houses such as Praeger and Westview Press. He travels extensively to Syria.
Independent investigative journalist, specialist on Syria, London, England. 26 January 1999. Telephone interview. The specialist has published two books on Syria as well as many articles on the inner workings of the Syrian government.
Research Fellow, Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies, and Lecturer in the Department of Middle Eastern and African History, Tel Aviv University, Israel. 25 January 1999. Telephone interview. The researcher's fields of specialization are the history and politics of Syria and Lebanon. He is the author of several studies on modern Syrian and Lebanese politics. The Moshe Dayan Center is the oldest and largest institution of its kind in Israel. Over the years, it has played a renowned role in illuminating the Middle East, through research, publications, conferences, documentary collections, and public service. Its mission has been to bring scholarly objectivity to the analysis of subjects that often stir passions. The Moshe Dayan Center does not take positions or recommend policies. It seeks to inform the academic community, policy makers, journalists, and the general public about the complexities of the Middle East, and so advance peace through understanding.