Supreme Legal Committee in Suwayda
Supreme Legal Committee in Suwayda | |
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Territory of the Committee (in Pink) | |
| Status | Unrecognized legal-administrative authority |
| Capital | Suwayda |
| Government | Legal-administrative authority |
• Leader | Hikmat al-Hijri[a] |
| Establishment | Syrian Civil War |
• Established | 25 July 2025 |
| Currency | Syrian pound[b] (SYP) |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (AST) |
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The Supreme Legal Committee in Suwayda (Arabic: اللجنة القانونية العليا في السويداء) is a unilaterally declared de facto legal-administrative authority operating in the Suwayda Governorate in southern Syria. It was established on 25 July 2025, under the auspices of the Spiritual Leadership of the Unitarian Druze, led by Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri,[c] following clashes in the region and the partial withdrawal of central government institutions.
Formation
[edit]The committee was formed amid growing instability and a power vacuum in Suwayda. It consists of six judges, including four judicial advisors, and three lawyers. The formation was announced by the Spiritual Leadership of the Druze, headed by Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri.[3][c]
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The committee also revealed the formation of a temporary executive office to oversee essential services in the governorate.[4]
Mandate and functions
[edit]In a series of official statements, the Supreme Legal Committee outlined its responsibilities as managing public affairs across all sectors in Suwayda, including administrative, security, and service-related matters. Its stated goals include:[3]
- Preserving public and private institutions.
- Combatting corruption and addressing grievances from all communities.
- Forming a temporary executive office to manage local services.
- Creating specialized subcommittees focused on relief, documenting violations, and tracking the fate of missing and forcibly disappeared persons.
- Overseeing issues related to martyrs and the wounded.
- Accepting and distributing donations to those affected by the conflict.
- Monitoring the healthcare sector and ensuring the functioning of both public and private hospitals.
The committee justified its actions by citing "the urgent circumstances in Suwayda and the need to ensure prompt services to the population".[3]
Leadership appointments
[edit]On 6 August 2025, the committee announced the appointment of:[4]
- Brigadier General Shakib Ajwad Nasr as Commander of the Internal Security Forces in Suwayda.
- Brigadier General Anwar Adul Radwan as Deputy Commander.
Nasr previously served as a senior official in the Political Security Directorate under the Ba'athist regime.[4]
Several weeks later, Nasr apologized for taking the position, stepped down and was replaced by Shadi Fayez Murshid.[5]
Legal status
[edit]On 7 August 2025, The Syrian Ministry of Justice referred the judges involved in the committee to the Judicial Inspection Directorate for investigation. According to a government source cited by the Syrian state-run news agency SANA, the judges violated judicial conduct rules outlined in the Judicial Authority Law. The source stated that the judges in question undertook activities deemed incompatible with their judicial responsibilities; specifically, engaging in political work outside the authority of the Supreme Judicial Council. Articles 78 and beyond of the Judicial Authority Law prohibit judges from combining their duties with other jobs or political involvement, either directly or indirectly. The ministry said that the actions of these judges were political in nature, ran counter to national interests, and promoted division.[6]
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ Spiritual leadership of the Druze in Syria is split into two since the 2010s, one is headed by Hikmat al-Hijri, the other is mutually headed by Hammoud al-Hinnawi and Youssef Jarbou.[1]
- ^ De Facto
- ^ a b Spiritual leadership of the Druze in Syria is split into two since the 2010s, one is headed by Hikmat al-Hijri, the other is mutually headed by Hammoud al-Hinnawi and Youssef Jarbou.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ "حكمت الهجري أحد زعماء الدروز في السويداء" [Hikmat al-Hijri: One of the Druze Leaders in Suwayda]. Al Jazeera Arabic (in Arabic). 16 March 2025. Archived from the original on 7 April 2025. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ "حكمت الهجري أحد زعماء الدروز في السويداء" [Hikmat al-Hijri: One of the Druze Leaders in Suwayda]. Al Jazeera Arabic (in Arabic). 16 March 2025. Archived from the original on 7 April 2025. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
- ^ a b c "الرئاسة الروحية للدروز تشكل لجانا متخصصة "لمنع الفوضى" في السويداء" [The Druze Spiritual Leadership forms specialized committees to "prevent chaos" in Suwayda]. Erem News (in Arabic). 26 July 2025. Archived from the original on 7 August 2025. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
- ^ a b c ""اللجنة القانونية" في السويداء تؤطر "الإدارة الذاتية" عبر تعيين قادة عسكريين ومدنيين" ['The Legal Committee' in Suwayda frames 'self-administration' by appointing military and civilian leaders]. The New Arab (in Arabic). 7 August 2025. Archived from the original on 7 August 2025. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
- ^ "Appointment of new commander for Internal Security Forces in Sweida". Hawar News Agency. 19 August 2025. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
- ^ "مصدر مسؤول في وزارة العدل لـ سانا: إحالة قضاة ما يسمى "اللجنة القانونية العليا" بالسويداء إلى التحقيق لمخالفتهم قانون السلطة القضائية" [Official source in Ministry of Justice to SANA: Judges of the so-called "Supreme Legal Committee" in Suwayda referred for investigation for violating the Judicial Authority Law]. Syrian Arab News Agency (in Arabic). 7 August 2025. Archived from the original on 7 August 2025. Retrieved 7 August 2025.