The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

HTS’ “Al-Falah Centre” forces owners of shop selling gift on valentine’s day to close in Idlib and Salqin cities

Idlib Province – Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: Reliable sources have informed SOHR that the “Committee for  promotion of virtue and vice prevention” of Tahrir Al-Sham, known as “Al-Falah Centre”, has forced shopkeepers who sell gift on valentine’s day in Idlib and Salqin cities to close their shops under the pretext that “there are some gifts shaped like idols”.

 

On May 11, 2020, reliable sources told the Syrian Observatory that HTS reactivated the committee of “Arms of Charity” in areas under its control in Idlib, but that time under the name of “The Centre of Salvation” for “the promotion of virtue and vice prevention”, two years after ”Arms of Charity” being suspended after considerable popular pressure, following the many restrictions it imposed during its existence, as well as arbitrary arrests and clamping down on people.

 

The Syrian Observatory has obtained a copy of a list containing some of the prohibitions that the “committee for the promotion of virtue and vice prevention” would impose, which says:

 

  • Mingling in restaurants, offices and other places to be prevented.

 

  • A woman without a companion from her parents or relatives is not allowed to be alone with a shopkeeper.

 

  • Preventing men from selling women’s clothes.

 

  • Following-up the wedding halls and gyms and prevent reprehensible acts in them.

 

  • Smoking hookah (Narghileh) in streets, shops and restaurants.

 

  • Banning some haircuts and tightening measures on barbers.

 

  • Preventing cases of harassment, accosting and standing outside educational institutions and offices.

 

  • Prevent reprehensible acts and pictures or posters placed in shops and others places.

 

  • Mingling of young people with girls in educational institutes to be prevented.