Christians in Syria under threat from Islamists, human rights activists say

Christians in Syria. Photo: Orthodoxia News Agency

European human rights advocateshave warned of a critical threat to the survival of Christianity in Syria due to pressure from radical Islamist groups. The European Centre for Law and Justice has submitted a report to the United Nations, reports Christian Today.

In December 2024, a coalition of armed forces overthrew the government of Bashar al-Assad. The HTS group, which has ties to Al-Qaeda, became the most influential force in the country. The new authorities promised to protect the rights of religious minorities, however state structures do not control the situation.

Bloody sectarian clashes continue in Syria. In the spring of last year, extremists massacred hundreds of Alawites, while fighting between Druze and Bedouins broke out in the summer. In the autumn, government forces clashed with Kurds in Aleppo following disputed parliamentary elections. President Ahmed al-Sharaa personally appointed one-third of the members of parliament without a popular vote, sparking widespread public discontent. Last year, a suicide bomber blew up a Christian church, killing 25 people.

During the armed conflict, Syria’s Christian population has declined from two million to between 300,000 and 500,000 people. The remaining communities face intense social pressure. Radicals deliver Islamic sermons in Christian neighborhoods, gradually Islamize school curricula, and ban alcohol. Islamists portray Christians as supporters of the former regime. Christians are losing their property, while Christian schools are left unprotected in the face of ongoing violence and kidnappings.

"Christians are not demanding a privileged status for themselves," representatives of the organization stated. "They only want equal participation in the life of the country." The lawyers emphasized that the usual protection of freedom of religion is no longer enough to safeguard believers. The international community must create the political, economic, and legal conditions necessary for Christians to live safely in their ancestral homeland.

As the UOJ reported, the Christian community of Syria has shrunk sixfold over the years of war.

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