DAMASCUS, Syria – U.S. presidential envoy to Syria Tom Barrack on Friday welcomed a new religious decree issued by Syria’s top clerical authority prohibiting revenge killings and extrajudicial retaliation.
In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, Barrack called the move “Great first steps for a new Syrian Government on the move towards a new Syria”, voicing support for justice and stability efforts following years of conflict.
The fatwa, announced by Syria’s Supreme Fatwa Council on Friday, bans any form of retribution or violence outside the legal framework, urging all parties to pursue justice exclusively through the courts. The council cited growing public concern over how to address past abuses and ongoing grievances, particularly in areas emerging from prolonged violence.
“Revenge outside the law only breeds chaos, deepens divisions, and undermines the foundations of justice and civil peace,” the council said in a statement. It called on authorities to hold perpetrators accountable through legal channels, enact reforms, and remove judges linked to abuses under the previous regime.
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Barrack, who also serves as U.S. ambassador to Turkey, met Syrian transitional president Ahmed al-Sharaa in both Ankara (May 24) and Damascus (May 29). The latter meeting was held at the Presidential Palace and attended by Syria’s Defense minister, foreign minister, and intelligence chief.
Following those meetings, Barrack said President Donald Trump was considering removing Syria from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism. He added that the administration’s position was to allow Syria’s new leadership to prove itself without external interference.
