In the aftermath of the incident involving the lowering of the Syrian flag in the city of Kobani—an act described as an individual behavior, and for which the perpetrator was arrested in preparation for legal accountability—several areas, particularly Afrin, the countryside of Aleppo, and Raqqa, witnessed a series of reactions marked by excess and the exploitation of the incident to justify unlawful and unregulated practices.

Multiple violations were documented, most notably:

• Placing the Kurdistan flag on a street in Afrin and trampling on it, while forcing vehicles to drive over it.
• Assaulting civilian vehicles returning from celebrations, including acts of vandalism.
• Violating the curfew imposed on the evening of March 21, 2026, in Afrin, as groups of cars and motorcycles roamed the streets chanting anti-Kurdish slogans.
• Preliminary reports indicating the killing of a person by public security forces at the Tal Rifaat junction.

Incidents were also documented involving assaults on civilians from Afrin who were returning from the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods in Aleppo after celebrating Nowruz in Afrin. They were attacked and their vehicles were damaged at the Azaz junction, in addition to road blockages at the Hayan and Tal Rifaat junctions.

In a related context, areas in the northern countryside of Raqqa—particularly Ain Issa and Kharab Ishk—witnessed organized attacks targeting Kurdish residents. These included property destruction, stone-throwing, and provocative gunfire over civilians’ heads, reflecting a dangerous escalation in hostile rhetoric and behavior.

These incidents indicate a state of disorder and a lack of law enforcement, amid what is described as “tribal mobilizations and undisciplined armed factions,” along with the failure of the concerned authorities to curb these violations—posing a threat to civil peace and risking serious consequences if left unaddressed.

In contrast, experiences in European countries such as Germany demonstrate different models for managing public events, where authorities secure and organize celebration venues, provide emergency services, and ensure the safe participation of hundreds of thousands of citizens without violations.

From a legal perspective, the Constitutional Declaration stipulates:

• Article (7): The state’s commitment to promoting coexistence and social stability, preventing sedition, division, and incitement to violence, and ensuring cultural and linguistic diversity for all components of society.
• Article (18): The protection of human dignity and the prohibition of torture and enforced disappearance.

However, these principles, as indicated by the facts on the ground, remain far from effective implementation, given the ongoing violations and lack of accountability.

Insulting national or ethnic symbols, including flags, is also considered behavior that exacerbates tensions and does not serve stability. Likewise, the exploitation or incitement of children to engage in provocative acts is ethically and educationally unacceptable.

What is happening reflects the direct impact of unregulated hate speech and incitement in official media channels, which has not been effectively criminalized, leading to escalating manifestations of violence. These are predictable outcomes in an environment where inclusive national discourse is absent and where racist and sectarian tendencies are on the rise.

It is noteworthy that Decree No. (13), issued on January 16, 2026, stipulates:

• The recognition of Nowruz (March 21) as an official paid public holiday in Syria.
• The obligation of state institutions to adopt an inclusive national discourse and criminalize any incitement to sedition or discrimination.

The continuation of these violations, in the absence of real accountability, constitutes a direct threat to social peace and necessitates decisive measures to ensure the rule of law and the protection of the rights of all citizens without discrimination.

Kurdish Lawyers Union
Monitoring, Documentation, and Archiving Committee
Bonn – Germany
March 22, 2026