Prisoner’s Covenant

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the Prisoner’s Covenant?
A. The Prisoners Covenant is a set of rules and regulations regarding the treatment of detainees that the Syrian people and those Muhajireen who came to their assistance are demanding of HTS to follow. It is not suitable that 10 years after the start of the revolution, the Syrian people still have no document to show what their rights are and are not should there be a dispute with the authorities. The Prisoners Covenant is a document that calls for:
-A Fair and transparent judicial process
-A solid commitment towards banning the torture of detainees
-An end to indefinite detentions
-And more…
The full document can be found by clicking here.
Therefore we, the Syrian people, those who sincerely came to help them, and those who demand justice around the world are calling upon those in leadership positions in HTS to adopt the measures written in this document so that Islamic justice can be established and the Syrian people can return to the path that this revolution started on and concentrate their full efforts upon the removal of Bashar Asad and all of those who assist him in his crimes.

Q. Why is the Prisoner’s Covenant needed when we have the Quran and Sunnah?
A. The Prisoner’s Covenant was written by a group of Muslim lawyers and has been examined by the people of Islamic knowledge. The clauses in the Covenant were derived directly from the Quran and Sunnah. The Prisoner’s Covenant is a document that has gathered the rights of those who may be detained that are found in the Quran and Sunnah. Nothing more

Q. Why now? Why not give the brothers of HTS a chance? Why push them now when they are all so under pressure from the regime, Iranians, Russians, and others?
A. The Syrian revolution began in 2011. From 2011 to the present day there has never been a time wherein there was not pressure from the regime. It is possible that it may take another 5 years or 10 years to depose the leadership in Damascus. Only Allah knows. Should we wait another 11 years to finally help the people to understand what their rights are under a just Islamic leadership? A wise man said, “If they will not give you justice when they are weak, do you think they will give it to you when they are strong?”
If the Syrian revolution is to ultimately be successful it will most likely require the help of the masses of the Syrian people and not just the small minority who are allied with HTS. The reality is that while support for the revolution remains high, trust for the leadership of the revolution is at an all time low among the Syrian people. A lack of justice only helps Assad and his allies because the Syrian people will not support another oppressor. If HTS is willing to sign and implement the Prisoner’s Covenant then that will go a long way in restoring the confidence of the Syrian people in the leadership of the revolution insha Allah. Popular confidence is of paramount importance to a popular revolution.

Q. Who is behind the Prisoner’s Covenant? What is their agenda?
A. As was mentioned above, a group of Muslim lawyers were asked to produce a document enshrining the rights of the people in a clear fashion. Upon reading the Covenant one could only conclude that it calls for justice and rights for detainees. Isn’t that what the revolution and the Syrian people have been calling for? We invite you to read the Prisoners Covenant in it’s entirety.

Q. Unity is what is needed in Syria right now. Will the Prisoner’s Covenant bring the Syrian people closer together or further divide them?
A. We believe that it will bring them closer together and motivate them to unite under a leadership that is just and follows the Quran and Sunnah. If HTS makes the firm decision to stop torturing detainees, giving them real paths to justice, and gives back the position Islam once played in this revolution then it is perhaps the Syrian people will not have a problem with their leadership. However should they choose to ignore the calls of the Syrian people as Bashar Assad did back in 2011 then there will be no unity with HTS. After all that has happened over the course of the past 11 years, it is difficult to ask the Syrians to support another dictatorship and thus dig their own graves.

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