The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

HTS confiscates property of Christian community in Idlib

The confiscation of civilians’ property on the basis of religion, faith or different attitude towards the Syrian revolution in different geographical areas, is an unjustifiable crime.

Christians in Idlib province face the injustice of jihadist organizations and violations by Islamic factions, in terms of applying “Islamic Sharia law” to members of different religious communities. Islamic factions are clamping down on them and imposing levies “Jizya” in order to force them to leave their homes to regime-controlled areas.

Idlib has been administrated ad by different Islamic factions, from “Al-Fateh Army” to the “Salvation Government”, the civilian wing of HTS.

HTS has clamped down on the Christians of Idlib city, pursuing the landlords and occupants of their properties. The office of “Christians’ properties” of HTS, which considers as spoils, has notified tenants to check with the administrative offices, to renew the contracts and set new terms, including raising the rents of houses and shops.

These factions have informed the tenants that the office responsible for the spoils has the right to rent, acquire and dispose of property at any time, as  the interest may require.

Moreover, HTS also prohibits civilians of the Christian community who have fled their homes to appoint someone to change a ruling made by the Sharia courts regarding their property, as the properties are non-negotiable, as they consider them private property.

Similarly for the civilians of the Christian community in western countryside of Idlib, in the city of Jisr al-Shughour and the villages and towns of Ya’aqubiya, Al-Qunaya, Al-Jadida, Al-Ghassania and Halauz, where HTS and the office of the spoils, are disposing of properties in order to support the fighters’ families.

The issue of the property of Christian families remains under the control of radical groups of Tahrir Al-Sham Organization despite their attempts to change their policies to exploit the Syrian people’s revolution.