Syria establishes committee to draft transitional constitution
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The Syrian presidency stated that the decision was made "based on the Syrian people's aspirations in building their state based on the rule of law."
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This handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) shows Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa addressing representatives and dignitaries of Syrian communities during the National Dialogue Conference called for by the country's new authorities in Damascus on February 25, 2025 (SANA/AFP)
Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa announced on Sunday the establishment of a committee tasked with drafting a constitutional declaration to guide the country’s transition following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad.
In a statement, the presidency confirmed "the formation of a committee of experts," including one woman, to draft "the constitutional declaration that regulates the transitional phase" in Syria. The seven-member committee will "submit its proposals to the president," though no specific timeframe was provided.
Al-Sharaa, the leader of the Islamist group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which played a central role in al-Assad’s overthrow on December 8, was appointed interim president in late January for an unspecified duration.
Syria’s new authorities have revoked the Assad-era constitution, with al-Sharaa indicating that the process of drafting a new one could take up to three years. In January, he pledged to introduce a "constitutional declaration" to serve as a "legal reference" during the transition.
The presidency stated that Sunday’s announcement was made "based on the Syrian people's aspirations in building their state based on the rule of law, and building on the outcomes of the Syrian national dialogue conference." It also emphasized the need for a legal framework to regulate the transitional phase.
A national dialogue conference held this week in Damascus outlined a roadmap for Syria’s future.
The committee includes Abdul Hamid al-Awak, a constitutional law expert and university lecturer in Turkiye, and Yasser al-Huwaish, appointed this year as dean of Damascus University’s law faculty.
Also serving on the committee is Bahia Mardini—the sole woman—a journalist with a doctorate in law who has been residing in Britain, as well as Ismail al-Khalfan, an expert in international law and the newly appointed dean of Aleppo University’s law faculty.
Another member, Mohammed Reda Jalkhi, holds a doctorate in international law from Idlib University, where he graduated in 2023.
The final statement from this week’s dialogue conference called for "a constitutional committee to prepare a draft permanent constitution for the country that achieves balance between authorities, sets the values of justice, freedom and equality, and establishes a state of law and institutions."
In December, a caretaker government was appointed to oversee Syria's affairs until March 1, when a new government is set to be formed.
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