Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1996, published 85th ILC session (1997)

Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105) - Syrian Arab Republic (Ratification: 1958)

Article 1(a), (c) and (d) of the Convention. In its earlier comments the Committee referred to certain provisions of the Economic Penal Code, the Penal Code, the Agricultural Labour Code and the Press Act, under which prison sentences involving compulsory labour can be imposed as a means of political coercion or as a punishment for expressing views opposed to the established political system, and as a punishment for breaches of labour discipline and for the participation in strikes. For a number of years the Government has indicated that a draft Legislative Decree amending various sections of the Penal Code so as to eliminate all obligation to perform prison labour was being examined by the competent authorities.

In its latest report, received in 1995, the Government indicates that the said Legislative Decree has been approved by the Council of Ministers and submitted to the Ministry for the Affairs of the Presidency of the Republic. Since similar information had already been provided by the Government in its report received in 1986, the Committee hopes that the Legislative Decree referred to by the Government will at last be adopted and that the Government will soon provide a copy of the text adopted.