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Urgent need to protect Syria’s endangered ethnic and religious communities

Written declaration No. 834 | Doc. 16383 | 20 April 2026

Signatories:
Ms Dora BAKOYANNIS, Greece, EPP/CD ; Ms Maria-Nefeli CHATZIIOANNIDOU, Greece, EPP/CD ; Ms Natalia DAVIDOVICI, Republic of Moldova, EPP/CD ; Mr Constantinos EFSTATHIOU, Cyprus, SOC ; Ms Christiana EROTOKRITOU, Cyprus, SOC ; Mr Piero FASSINO, Italy, SOC ; Mr Gustaf GÖTHBERG, Sweden, EPP/CD ; Mr Ion GROZA, Republic of Moldova, EPP/CD ; Mr Pablo HISPÁN, Spain, EPP/CD ; Ms Carmen LEYTE, Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr George LOUCAIDES, Cyprus, UEL ; Ms Mariia MEZENTSEVA-FEDORENKO, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Mr Fabian MOLINA, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Ioannis OIKONOMOU, Greece, EPP/CD ; Mr Gonzalo ROBLES, Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr Theodoros ROUSOPOULOS, Greece, EPP/CD ; Mr Georgios STAMATIS, Greece, EPP/CD ; Mr Evripidis STYLIANIDIS, Greece, EPP/CD ; Ms Maria SYRENGELA, Greece, EPP/CD ; Ms Victoria TIBLOM, Sweden, ECPA ; Mr Nicos TORNARITIS, Cyprus, EPP/CD ; Ms Albana VOKSHI, Albania, EPP/CD ; Mr Markus WIECHEL, Sweden, ECPA

We, the undersigned, declare the following:

The situation of ethnic and religious minorities in Syria has deteriorated to an unacceptable and dangerous level. Communities such as the Druze, Christians and others are facing escalating persecution, State-sponsored violence and displacement.

Across multiple regions, these minorities suffer targeted attacks, arbitrary arrests, forced disappearances and the destruction of their cultural and religious heritage. Entire neighbourhoods have been emptied, and families who remain live under constant fear, exposed to abuses by actors linked to Syria’s new regime.

The international community’s insufficient response has contributed to impunity and further endangered these communities, whose presence is integral to Syria’s historic diversity.

We therefore call on all Council of Europe member States to:

  • exert pressure on Syria’s transitional government to end violations against minority populations;
  • support independent monitoring mechanisms documenting abuses;
  • expand humanitarian access and urgent protection pathways for at-risk minority groups;
  • place accountability for crimes against these communities at the centre of all diplomatic efforts concerning Syria;
  • connect the protection of ethnic and religious minorities to any normalisation of commercial or diplomatic relations with Syria’s authorities.

If action is delayed, these communities may not survive to see a peaceful future.