DAMASCUS: Syria needs to address public grievances and strengthen the rule of law to curb hate speech and prevent social divisions, a senior official at the National Commission for Transitional Justice said on Wednesday.
Hassan Jubran, director of national reconciliation at the commission, told SANA that slogans and counter-rhetoric alone would not prevent hostility from spreading between social groups.
He said perceptions of injustice and unresolved grievances could lead some people to view others as complicit in their suffering or unwilling to help, creating an environment in which hate speech can flourish.
Improving governance and government performance would help address those concerns and reduce tensions, he added.
Criticism, incitement and media freedom
Jubran said transparency, fact-finding and access to information were essential to countering divisive narratives.
He warned that content presented as criticism could sometimes amount to deliberate incitement or misinformation, particularly on social media, where emotionally charged claims may circulate without evidence or constructive solutions.
He called for greater public participation in decision-making while protecting freedom of expression and access to information.
Jubran also rejected prior censorship of media content, advocating a pluralistic media landscape that reflects Syria’s diverse identities and cultures. Professional codes of conduct and media laws should encourage responsible expression without imposing content restrictions, he said.
Media training and awareness campaign
The comments came as the Ministry of Information, the Syrian Media Academy and the United Nations Development Programme concluded a six-month project aimed at strengthening media capacity to counter hate speech and support peacebuilding.
According to project findings, 35 training programs were delivered across nine provinces, reaching more than 775 participants.
The three partners also launched the “Words Build” campaign on Oct. 6 to raise awareness about hate speech, incitement and misleading rumors, while encouraging the responsible sharing of content.