The Syrian Arab Republic is located in Western Asia, and the capital city is Damascus. It borders the Mediterranean Sea, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, and Israel. The country is home to diverse ethnic and religious groups. The unitary republic country is only a member of two international organizations - the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement.

As of November 2011 Syria was banned by the Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation; the country is self-suspended from the Union for the Mediterranean. Aleppo, the largest city in the country, and the capital city of Damascus, are two of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited regions. Although French troops didn’t leave the region until April 1846, Syria gained de-jure independence as a parliamentary republic on 24 October 1945.

Following independence, several military coups occurred in the country from 1946-1971; the brief union with Egypt in 1961 was ended by the 1961 Syrian coup d'état. The uncertainty which stemmed from this coup led to the  8 March 1963 Ba'athist coup. Syria was under Emergency Law from 1963 to 2011 with most constitutional protections being suspended during this time; since 2011, the country has been involved in military armed conflicts with several countries. 

The 2011 Arab Spring Revolutions gave way to the ongoing Syrian Civil War which is still taking place. To date, over 400,000 people have been killed in these battles according to the UN. The adoption of the 2012 Constitution recreated Syrian government as a semi-Presidential republic, with the President being head of state, and Prime Minister being the head of government. Presidential powers under the Constitution include appointing ministers, declaring war, issuing laws, declaring a state of emergency, and declaring amnesty, among other powers.

The main source of law is Islamic Jurisprudence, which includes  Ottoman, French, and Islamic law elements. The court of first instance, court of appeals, and constitutional court, are the three-court systems in the country. Personal and family law issues are handled by the religious courts. Human rights are a leading area of concern and contention in the country. Freedom House has ranked Syria as “Not Free” in annual surveys. Censorship of websites, imposing travel bans, and detaining bloggers, are among the human right violations the country has been found guilty of on numerous occasions.

The National Law Review covers a wide spectrum of news coverage from Syria and its contentious battles with countries around the world. Human rights issues, travel bans, international sanctions against the country, and international relations, are among the topics covered by the National Law Review. Visitors will continually find the latest news coverage, legislation, and international news, as it relates to the country and its citizens.