In March 2014, the city of Raqqa was completely liberated from the regime forces according to the testimony of a lawyer who did not want to reveal his name for security reasons.

Lawyers played the biggest role in forming local councils to manage the governorate. Lawyer Abdullah al-Khalil was appointed governorate chief of liberated Raqqa. He was one of the most prominent leaders during the peaceful movement during the revolution.

The Sharia board was established in Raqqa directly after liberation. Armed factions in the city participated in the foundation process including al-Nusra Front, Ahrar ash-Sham, and the Free Syrian Army. The only exception is ISIS which established its own court and called it the ‘Islamic court.’

The Sharia court adopted the Unified Arab Law as a judiciary reference. Lawyers had a limited role in the court. Few of them worked as judges in civil lawsuits. After ISIS took power over Raqqa at the end of 2013, it expelled all the armed brigades in the city, and the Sharia board was dissolved. The Islamic court continues to function in Raqqa.

Judiciary records and files in the hand of ISIS

All the lawsuits ongoing in the courts of Raqqa were preserved after the liberation of the city. The unfinished lawsuits were referred to the Sharia courts especially the civil lawsuits. Regarding penal lawsuits, the lawsuits could not be followed up on because most of those accused fled the governorate to regime-controlled areas in other governorates. The regime subsequently shelled the court and the judicial archive. Consequently many files were ruined. The ones which survived were taken over by ISIS.

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Prominent Judicial Bodies Formed in Liberated Syria

The Phase of Regression: ‘Sheikhs’ Replacing Judges

Peoples’ Courts in Autonomous Administrated Regions

Free Independent Syrian Judiciary Council

Three Authority References Warn of the Division of Syria

Syrian State Law: will its continued implementation help maintain the unity of Syrian territory?

Islamic Sharia: Military Brigades Reject Legal References and Insist on the Implementation of Sharia

The Unified Arab Law: Demands for its implementation as a Middle Ground between Syrian State Law and Islamic Sharia

Judicial Schemes and the Shape of Laws in Areas outside the control of the Syrian Regime

Judiciary in Aleppo is unable to counter the Hegemony of the Military

Rehabilitative Program for Prisoners in Aleppo

Deraa: The Judiciary Scheme, Shape of laws in it since its Liberation

Eastern Ghouta: Foundation of Independent Judiciary following Liberation

Judiciary is absent from Western Ghouta and Sharia Implementation in Qalamoon

Jaysh al-Fateh Promises to implement a Unified Judicial Reference in Idlib

Al-Nusra Front Controls Judiciary in Lattakia Countryside

Hama Countryside: Absence of Judiciary and Subordination of Khan Sheyhun court

Al-Waer court and resolving dispute by consensus in Homs

Judiciary in Deir ez-Zor terminated by ISIS

Attempts at founding Judiciary in Raqqa were terminated by ISIS

Judiciary System under Baath Rule

 How do Syrians value courts’ performance and Judiciary in their liberated areas?

Killing Justice in the North of Syria

Higher Judiciary Institute in Aleppo: First Graduates in Liberated Areas