The legal system of Syria
A civil-law system built on the Egyptian model: the Civil Code of 1949 follows Sanhuri's Egyptian code closely, and the Personal Status Law of 1953 codifies Islamic family law for Muslims while Christian and Jewish communities apply their own rules through their own courts. Following the fall of the previous government in December 2024, a transitional administration has assumed authority, the 2012 Constitution is no longer being applied as the operative constitutional order, and a constitutional declaration governs the transition. The atlas records the standing codes, which remain in use, and states plainly that the constitutional framework and much institutional practice are in flux and cannot be verified with confidence.
Legal tradition
Syria belongs to the civil law with islamic law influence tradition. A civil-law system built on the Egyptian model: the Civil Code of 1949 follows Sanhuri's Egyptian code closely, and the Personal Status Law of 1953 codifies Islamic family law for Muslims while Christian and Jewish communities apply their own rules through their own courts. Following the fall of the previous government in December 2024, a transitional administration has assumed authority, the 2012 Constitution is no longer being applied as the operative constitutional order, and a constitutional declaration governs the transition. The atlas records the standing codes, which remain in use, and states plainly that the constitutional framework and much institutional practice are in flux and cannot be verified with confidence.
How power is divided
Formally unitary, with fourteen governorates administered under Local Administration Law No. 107 of 2011. Effective control has been fragmented since 2012, and the northeast has been administered separately by an autonomous administration with its own councils and courts. The transitional authorities have announced an intention to reintegrate administration, which remains in progress.
Where law comes from
- Transitional constitutional declaration 2025
- Provisional framework pending a permanent constitution.
- The Civil Code 1949
- Sanhuri-model codification; remains in force and in daily use.
- Personal Status Law 1953
- Islamic family law for Muslims; other communities apply their own law.
- Legislative decrees and laws
- The pre-2024 corpus continues to apply except where repealed or suspended.
- Sharia and custom
- Fill gaps under the Civil Code's interpretive provisions.
The legal profession
Lawyers are admitted by the Syrian Bar Association under the Advocacy Law, with compulsory membership, a two-year traineeship and a right of audience that broadens with seniority. Notaries operate under the Ministry of Justice and their authentication is required for property and company transactions. Both the Bar's governance and the notarial network are affected by the transition, and displacement has made proof of title and civil status a dominant practical issue.
Law by topic in Syria
- Civil ProcedureA French-modelled code, with courts functioning unevenly across the countryCivil procedure follows the Code of Civil Procedure of 1953 as amended by Law No. 1 of 2016, with courts of first instance, appeal and a Court of Cassation. Court functioning varies substantially by area.
- Constitutional LawThe 2012 Constitution, and a transitional order following the fall of the Assad governmentThe 2012 Constitution replaced the 1973 text and removed the Ba'ath Party's constitutionally entrenched leading role. Following the change of government in December 2024, Syria entered a transitional constitutional process whose outcome is not settled.
- Business & CorporateCompanies Law 2011, with sanctions and currency controls dominating practiceCompanies are formed under Law No. 29 of 2011. Sanctions imposed from 2011, partially eased from 2025, and strict foreign exchange controls have been the determining factors for business rather than company law itself.
- Family LawThe Personal Status Law 1953, amended in 2019, with courts by religious communityPersonal status for Muslims follows the Personal Status Law of 1953, significantly amended by Law No. 4 of 2019. Christian and Jewish communities apply their own law through their own tribunals.
- Tax LawSchedular income tax, no VAT, and a base severely erodedIncome tax is schedular under Legislative Decree No. 24 of 2003, with progressive business profit rates. Syria has no VAT; consumption is taxed through specific duties.
- Immigration & NationalityEntry law of 1970, and the largest refugee outflow of the centuryEntry and residence are governed by Legislative Decree No. 29 of 1970. The dominant legal questions concern the more than five million Syrians outside the country and the conditions for voluntary return.
- Criminal LawThe Penal Code 1949, with exceptional and military courts alongside itThe Penal Code of 1949 is the general statute. Exceptional jurisdictions — the Counter-Terrorism Court established in 2012, military field courts and military courts trying civilians — have handled a large share of serious cases.
- Employment & LabourThe Labour Law 2010, applying to a drastically reduced formal economyLabour Law No. 17 of 2010 governs private employment, replacing the 1959 code and liberalising dismissal. Its practical reach is limited by the collapse of formal employment since 2011.
- Property & LandThe Civil Code 1949, destroyed records, and the contested Law No. 10 of 2018Property law rests on the Civil Code of 1949 and land registration legislation. Destruction of records, mass displacement and Law No. 10 of 2018 on redevelopment zones have made housing, land and property rights a central transitional issue.
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