Overview
- The governorate clarified the decree to spare hotels and to study exemptions for touristic restaurants, and it issued an apology to residents of Bab Touma, Qassaa and Bab Sharqi.
- The original order barred alcohol service in restaurants and nightclubs across Damascus, limited the three named districts to sealed take-away sales, required buffers from mosques, schools and government offices, and gave venues up to three months to change licenses and menus.
- Hundreds rallied in Bab Touma from multiple faiths to defend personal freedoms, with heavily armed security surrounding the area as the protest ended without incident.
- Authorities said the restrictions responded to local complaints and aimed to curb practices that violate public morals, while civil-society groups and Christian organizations warned the carve-outs were discriminatory and could heighten security risks.
- The flare-up underscores concerns that the interim government is tightening social rules after steps such as a makeup ban for female public employees and mandated modest swimwear on public beaches.