Amnesty International calls for reform of Syria’s cybercrime law

Amnesty International has called on Syria’s transitional authorities to suspend enforcement of Law No. 20 of 2022 on Combating Cybercrime, arguing that the legislation contains provisions incompatible with international human rights law and continues to restrict freedom of expression.

The appeal follows an announcement by Syria’s Ministry of Justice in June 2026 that legal and technical committees would review the cybercrime law alongside other legislation raising constitutional and human rights concerns. Although the review process has begun, the law remains in force while amendments are being considered.

As part of the review process, the Ministry issued a ministerial circular introducing several procedural safeguards for cybercrime investigations. The measures require written judicial authorisation before certain specialised investigations can proceed, establish pretrial detention as an exceptional measure, and place limits on the use of wanted notices and searches.

According to Amnesty International, however, these procedural changes do not address the law’s substantive provisions. The organisation argues that the legislation continues to criminalise forms of expression protected under international human rights law, permits extensive restrictions on websites, and provides prison sentences for broadly defined offences.

In its assessment, Amnesty documented five cases involving journalists and activists who were detained between January and June 2026 for periods ranging from 24 hours to seven days. The charges included offences such as ‘undermining the prestige of the state,’ ‘undermining confidence in the national currency or financial system,’ and ‘electronic defamation.’

All five individuals were subsequently released. Amnesty stated that legal proceedings against two activists remain ongoing, while one journalist continues to face the possibility of prosecution.

After reviewing the online content that formed the basis of the cases, Amnesty International said it found no evidence that the individuals had incited violence or hatred. The organisation, therefore, considers the statements to constitute protected expression under international human rights law and has called on the authorities to dismiss all related charges.

Amnesty also expressed concern over the arrest of activist Mazen Arja on 21 July 2026 after he responded to a summons issued by the Cybercrime Branch in Damascus. According to the organisation, the detention appeared inconsistent with the procedural safeguards introduced by the Ministry of Justice earlier in the year.

In its recommendations, Amnesty International urged Syria’s authorities to cease arrests and prosecutions based solely on peaceful online expression. It also called on the newly established People’s Assembly to amend the cybercrime law by removing broadly defined speech-related offences, replacing criminal defamation provisions with proportionate civil remedies, and aligning the legislation with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

The Syrian authorities have announced that the cybercrime law is under review, but have not publicly indicated whether they intend to adopt the specific reforms proposed by Amnesty International.