On Sunday, June 8, 2025, the Umm al-Zannar Church, located in the al-Hamidiyah neighborhood of Homs, was attacked by an unidentified gunman. The attack resulted in minor material damage but no human casualties. The area where the attack occurred is under the control of the transitional government.
According to what the Syrian Network for Human Rights documented from reliable local sources, in addition to what was shown in a video recording from the incident, published via open sources and verified by us, the attacker fired at the cross erected on top of the church building, using a Kalashnikov machine gun, causing damage as a result of being hit by several bullets. The network is still collecting eyewitness testimonies to verify the circumstances of the incident and fully document it.
Legal Conclusions:
- The attack on the Umm al-Zannar Church, even if it did not result in any human casualties, constitutes a direct violation of Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees freedom of religion and the practice of religious rituals, and includes the protection of places of worship from attack or vandalism.
- Targeting places of worship, especially in areas known for their religious diversity, can contribute to sowing the seeds of sectarian division and inciting hatred, which violates the principle of non-discrimination and respect for pluralism stipulated in many international instruments, including the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief (1981).
- This attack constitutes a violation of UN General Assembly Resolution 75/258, which calls on states to take effective measures to protect religious sites and condemns acts of violence or threats against them, whether by official or anonymous parties.
- The fact that the attack occurred in an area under the control of the transitional government, and the failure to prevent or identify the perpetrators at the time of writing, places the controlling party legally and morally responsible for its failure to protect this religious site.
- If the motive behind the attack is found to be religious or sectarian, this violation is classified as “religious hatred” and must be treated more seriously within the relevant legal and penal frameworks.
Syrian Network for Human Rights Recommendations:
- Open an immediate, professional, and transparent criminal investigation to identify the perpetrators, collect evidence, and bring them to justice, in compliance with international criminal justice procedures and the prevention of impunity.
- Strengthen security measures around places of worship, particularly in areas where attacks or threats have previously been recorded, in cooperation with local communities and religious institutions, to ensure the prevention of recurrence.
- Launching a national plan to protect religious and cultural diversity, including the development of a database of religious sites, an assessment of the degree of danger they face, and the allocation of resources to protect them.
- Incorporating the principles of respect for others and freedom of belief into educational curricula and community awareness campaigns as a key component of promoting tolerance and preventing sectarian hatred in the new Syria.
