Azaz religious authority calls for criminalizing public eating in Ramadan
ALEPPO, Syria (North Press) – On Monday, the religious authority in the city of Azaz, northern Syria, called on the public prosecution to criminalize and legally punish anyone who eats in public during the yearly Muslim fast for the holy month of Ramadan.
The Directorate of Endowments, Fatwas and Religious Affairs in Azaz, affiliated with the Turkish-backed Syrian opposition’s Interim Government, addressed the Attorney General on Facebook saying, “As we approach the holy month of Ramadan and given the eagerness of the Endowments Directorate to preserve religious rituals of this holy month, we ask you to officially criminalize every person who eat in front of other people.”
The directorate also called for taking legal measures against whoever breaks the potential new law, adding that eating openly is considered a crime that goes against religion and public norms.
While the directorate is pushing for criminalizing those who eat in public, it does nothing to fight corruption or condemn opposition armed factions which are stealing relief aid provided for people affected by the February 6 earthquake.
Islamic extremism is widespread in the areas controlled by the Turkish-backed opposition and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front) in north and northwest Syria.