- “Just a decade ago, President Barack Obama used his Nowruz address to express his optimism about resolving the nuclear impasse with Iran. ‘I believe that our countries should be able to resolve this issue peacefully, with diplomacy. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has issued a fatwa against the development of nuclear weapons,’ he declared. Secretary of State John Kerry also cited the supposed fatwa as evidence of Khamenei’s sincerity.”
- “Syria’s draft constitutional declaration has been revealed, outlining key governance principles and legislative frameworks for the transitional phase, Sky News Arabia reported, citing Syrian sources.” “Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa has signed a temporary constitution that will be in force for a five-year transitional period, three months after his forces led a lightning offensive that toppled Bashar al-Assad’s government.” According to the New York Times, “[t]he temporary constitution has retained a provision that stipulates Syria’s president must be a Muslim, as did the old constitution. And like its precursor, the new constitution gives central importance to Islamic law. The new document says it will be the main source of legislation, while ensuring that ‘freedom of belief is guaranteed.'” “The Kurdish-led group which governs northeast Syria . . . rejected a constitutional declaration issued by the new Islamist leadership in Damascus and called for it to be rewritten.” “It was stated that the draft constitution excludes the main components of Syria’s national structure, including Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians, and other ethnic and religious groups, and that they reject and condemn the draft in its current form.” Other critics have noted: “Supposedly a framework for a five-year transitional period, the document largely mirrors the policies of the previous regime, ensuring the marginalization of Kurds, Druze, Alawites, Assyrians, Christians, Yazidis, and other religious minorities.” For more content and context on the Interim Constitution, consult the automated translation on the SHARIAsource portal here.
- “Kuwait has repealed Article 153 of its 1960 Penal Code, a law that allowed reduced sentences for men who killed female relatives caught in adultery in so-called ‘honour killings.’”
- “In a bid to protect the rights of children, Kuwait recently raised the minimum age of marriage to 18. . . . In mid-February, Kuwait amended its Personal Status Law No. 51/1984 and Jaafari Personal Status Law No. 124/2019, citing alarming rates of child marriage. In 2024 alone, 1,145 underage marriages were registered, including 1,079 girls and 66 boys.”