Premier Halts Media Debate of Personal Law Draft

The Syrian prime minister, Mohammad Naji Al-Otari, issued an order banning official media from covering news related to a new controversial draft of Syria’s personal laws, said a June 26 article in the website Syrian Women.



The website said that the decision resulted in the cancellation of many workshops and seminars scheduled to discuss the new legislation, which has provoked the ire of women’s rights activists and Christian clerics.



Bassam al-Qadi, editor-in-chief of the website, referred to the proposal as a “conspiracy” and said that it incited sectarian divide, insulted women and allowed girls to be “raped”.



The draft law gives more rights to men in cases related to marriage, divorce and inheritance.



Qadi called on the government to reveal the identity of the members of the committee behind the new legislation, which was, according to him, approved by the council of ministers.



He urged civil rights groups and relevant governmental institutions to draft a new proposal for personal laws.



The editorialist also praised the collective efforts of local journalists who have written about the law in the media.