Syria
Not Free
10
100
| PR Political Rights | -2 40 |
| CL Civil Liberties | 12 60 |
Last Year's Score & Status
5
100
Not Free
A country or territory’s Freedom in the World status depends on its aggregate Political Rights score, on a scale of 0–40, and its aggregate Civil Liberties score, on a scale of 0–60.
See the methodology.
Under longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad, genuine political opposition was prohibited and freedoms of speech and assembly were harshly suppressed. Following the outbreak of a brutal civil war in 2011, political rights and civil liberties in Syria were even further compromised both by the regime and by other belligerent forces. A military offensive led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) prompted the Assad regime’s sudden collapse in December 2024. While ethnic and sectarian violence and other serious problems have persisted after new transitional authorities took power, there has been greater freedom for journalistic and civil society activities, and a more permissive environment for private expression.
This report has been abridged for Freedom in the World 2026. Freedom in the World is entirely funded by nongovernmental sources such as private foundations, corporations, and individuals like you. Please consider making a donation to support future editions of this vital resource.
For additional background information, see the reports from the 2024 and 2025 editions of Freedom in the World.
A1
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Was the current head of government or other chief national authority elected through free and fair elections? | 0.000 4.004 |
A2
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Were the current national legislative representatives elected through free and fair elections? | 0.000 4.004 |
A3
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Are the electoral laws and framework fair, and are they implemented impartially by the relevant election management bodies? | 0.000 4.004 |
B1
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Do the people have the right to organize in different political parties or other competitive political groupings of their choice, and is the system free of undue obstacles to the rise and fall of these competing parties or groupings? | 0.000 4.004 |
B2
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Is there a realistic opportunity for the opposition to increase its support or gain power through elections? | 0.000 4.004 |
B3
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Are the people’s political choices free from domination by forces that are external to the political sphere, or by political forces that employ extrapolitical means? | 0.000 4.004 |
B4
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Do various segments of the population (including ethnic, racial, religious, gender, LGBT+, and other relevant groups) have full political rights and electoral opportunities? | 0.000 4.004 |
C1
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Do the freely elected head of government and national legislative representatives determine the policies of the government? | 0.000 4.004 |
C2
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Are safeguards against official corruption strong and effective? | 0.000 4.004 |
C3
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Does the government operate with openness and transparency? | 0.000 4.004 |
.
Add Q
| Is the government or occupying power deliberately changing the ethnic composition of a country or territory so as to destroy a culture or tip the political balance in favor of another group? | -2.00-2 |
Score Change: The score improved from –3 to –2 because many Syrians who had been forcibly displaced by the Assad regime during the civil war, particularly Sunni Muslims from contested cities, began to return to their home regions, though the new government’s forces and other armed groups continued to engage in ethnic and sectarian violence in their respective areas during the year.
D1
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Are there free and independent media? | 2.002 4.004 |
Score Change: The score improved from 1 to 2 because there are fewer restrictions on independent journalism since the fall of the Assad regime.
D2
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Are individuals free to practice and express their religious faith or nonbelief in public and private? | 2.002 4.004 |
D3
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Is there academic freedom, and is the educational system free from extensive political indoctrination? | 0.000 4.004 |
D4
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Are individuals free to express their personal views on political or other sensitive topics without fear of surveillance or retribution? | 2.002 4.004 |
Score Change: The score improved from 1 to 2 because the collapse of the Assad regime’s extensive surveillance apparatus and network of informants created a more permissive environment for private discussion, both in person and online.
E1
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Is there freedom of assembly? | 1.001 4.004 |
E2
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Is there freedom for nongovernmental organizations, particularly those that are engaged in human rights– and governance-related work? | 1.001 4.004 |
Score Change: The score improved from 0 to 1 because civil society organizations—including those working on human rights issues—have been able to organize, register, and operate more freely since the collapse of the Assad regime.
E3
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Is there freedom for trade unions and similar professional or labor organizations? | 0.000 4.004 |
F1
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Is there an independent judiciary? | 0.000 4.004 |
F2
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Does due process prevail in civil and criminal matters? | 0.000 4.004 |
F3
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Is there protection from the illegitimate use of physical force and freedom from war and insurgencies? | 1.001 4.004 |
F4
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Do laws, policies, and practices guarantee equal treatment of various segments of the population? | 0.000 4.004 |
G1
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement, including the ability to change their place of residence, employment, or education? | 1.001 4.004 |
G2
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Are individuals able to exercise the right to own property and establish private businesses without undue interference from state or nonstate actors? | 1.001 4.004 |
Score Change: The score improved from 0 to 1 because the transitional government began taking steps to mitigate the effects of expropriation legislation and related efforts that were widespread during the Assad regime.
G3
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Do individuals enjoy personal social freedoms, including choice of marriage partner and size of family, protection from domestic violence, and control over appearance? | 1.001 4.004 |
G4
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Do individuals enjoy equality of opportunity and freedom from economic exploitation? | 0.000 4.004 |
Country Facts
-
Population
22,130,000 -
Global Freedom Score
10 100 not free -
Internet Freedom Score
17 100 not free
