06.04.2026 13:53
An application process has been initiated for stateless Kurds in the Hasakeh province of Syria. It has been announced that applications will be accepted at five different centers for a duration of 30 days. The step taken for thousands of people who have been deprived of citizenship rights since 1962 is considered a critical development in terms of resolving the long-standing status issue in the country.
The application process has officially begun for Kurdish individuals who have been deprived of citizenship rights for many years in Syria's Hasakeh province. The decision is considered a sign of a significant transformation in the country.
APPLICATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED AT 5 CENTERS
The Hasakeh Media Directorate announced that applications have started to be accepted under Presidential Decree No. 13 by President Ahmed Shara.
As of April 6, application centers have been opened at the civil registry offices in Hasakeh, Qamishli, Derbasiyah, Malikiyeh, and Cevadiyeh. It was reported that applications would be accepted every day starting from 09:00 and that the process would last for 30 days.
EMPHASIS ON "ESSENTIAL ELEMENT" IN THE DECREE
In President Shara's decree dated 2016, it was emphasized that Kurdish Syrians are "a fundamental and essential part" of the country. Under the same regulation, while Kurdish was recognized as a national language, the way was opened for individuals without citizenship to be granted citizenship rights.
THE ROOT OF THE HISTORICAL ISSUE DATES BACK TO 1962
In the special census conducted in Syria in 1962, many Kurdish individuals could not enter official records for various reasons. Financial difficulties and distance from the center were among the main reasons for this situation.
In the following years, due to the Arabization policies during the era of Hafez al-Assad and bureaucratic obstacles, these individuals were classified as "undocumented (maktum)." This situation led to thousands of people being deprived of citizenship rights for decades.
THE NEW PROCESS IS BEING CLOSELY MONITORED
The initiated application process is seen as an important step in addressing a long-standing issue that has been awaiting resolution. How the process will progress and how many individuals will gain citizenship rights remains a matter of curiosity.