(SeaPRwire) –   There are growing fears among some Syrians that President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government intends to curtail the rights and freedoms of its citizens by promoting a more conservative interpretation of Islam.

Local authorities in Damascus recently prohibited restaurants and bars from selling alcohol throughout most of the city. Only venues located in majority-Christian neighborhoods were permitted to continue selling alcohol, but exclusively for takeaway purposes. The decision triggered minor protests across the capital, prompting security forces to intervene to maintain public order.

“What you’re seeing is pressure from one segment of Syrian society—the clerics and more hardline Islamists who advocate for an Islamist vision of how Syrian society should function,” said Robert Ford, former U.S. ambassador to Syria, in an interview with Digital. Syria’s provisional constitution is based on Islamic law.

Hind Kabawat, Syria’s social affairs minister and the only woman in al-Sharaa’s cabinet—who is also Christian—denied that alcohol consumption is restricted solely to Christian areas.

“Our neighborhoods are not intended for alcohol consumption; they represent the heart of Damascus,” she wrote in a Facebook post. “The strength of our nation lies in its diversity, and any radical or extremist voices threaten our national unity,” she added.

In response to public criticism, authorities in Damascus partially reversed the ban, allowing alcohol sales to resume at hotels and select restaurants deemed important for tourism.

The policy marks a significant shift for residents of Damascus, where alcohol had been widely available in bars and restaurants for decades—even during the authoritarian rule of former president Bashar al-Assad.

“Decisions like these, which erode personal freedoms in Syria, are deeply concerning. When such actions occur outside Damascus, the central government can claim limited control over those regions. But it is especially troubling to see them enforced in the capital itself, where President al-Sharaa holds decisive power,” stated Mara Karlin, a former Department of Defense official and professor at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), in her conversation with Digital.

“If he is indeed pushing forward a vision of an Islamist Syria, it raises serious questions about how much progress he has made beyond his past affiliations,” Karlin noted.

Al-Sharaa, who led the Islamist rebel group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) to victory over Assad, has since embarked on a global diplomatic campaign, visiting numerous foreign capitals and working to restore Syria’s place in the international community.

Former President Donald Trump publicly endorsed al-Sharaa, whom he first met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in May 2025 and again hosted at the White House in November 2025—the first time a Syrian leader visited the White House since Syria gained independence in 1946.

Karlin, who testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee in February on the challenges facing post-Assad Syria, acknowledged that while the new government includes former jihadists, many have adopted pragmatic approaches rather than strictly ideological governance.

However, she emphasized that their influence remains weak beyond Damascus.

“There have already been disturbing cases restricting women’s freedoms, and trends like this warrant careful monitoring as indicators of both the Syrian government’s reach and its underlying ideology,” she cautioned.

Ford, who served as the last U.S. ambassador to Syria before the civil war began in 2011, clarified that al-Sharaa is not a democrat and likely seeks to implement aspects of an Islamist agenda across Syria. Yet, he has largely restrained himself since overthrowing the Assad regime in late 2024.

While local officials impose these ordinances—including the alcohol restrictions—they remain directly accountable to the central government and loyal to al-Sharaa, suggesting broad support for an Islamist direction.

Some analysts warn that the alcohol ban could hinder Syria’s fragile post-war recovery, particularly as al-Sharaa works to reintegrate the country into the global economy and revive its tourism sector.

The World Bank estimates total reconstruction costs at approximately $216 billion following nearly 14 years of civil conflict. Syria’s tourism minister previously stated that rebuilding the industry would require at least $100 million over the next seven years.

Alcohol is not the only target of recent local regulations. In February, officials in the port city of Latakia banned women from wearing makeup at work. Elsewhere, a town near Damascus imposed a ban on men working in female clothing stores to enforce public decency.

Ford acknowledged that certain local decrees raise legitimate concerns, but stressed that resolving the role of religion in post-Assad Syria must ultimately be determined by Syrians themselves.

This article includes contributions from The Associated Press.