Demolition of the Damascus Governorate Building and Eviction Notices to Adjacent Tenants

The Damascus Governorate issued in June 2025 a decision to demolish its main administrative building located in Youssef Al-Azmeh Square, followed by eviction notices to tenants of adjacent commercial buildings. Despite verbal assurances from the governor made this month that the decision had been suspended, no official or written confirmation was issued, leaving tenants without formal guarantees.

The Damascus Governorate building is located in Martyr Youssef Al-Azmeh Square, in the heart of the capital. It was originally constructed in the 1950s to house the Damascus Directorate of Antiquities and was built in the architectural style typical of mid-20th century Syria, reflecting the post-independence urban renaissance. It later became the seat of the Damascus Governorate after it was administratively separated from Rural Damascus, as stipulated by Legislative Decree No. 15 of 1972. Since then, the building has housed the governor’s office, the governorate council, and all associated administrative offices. The building was never classified as archaeological or of heritage value under the Syrian Antiquities Law. Due to its age and use for purposes other than those it was originally designed for, it no longer meets the functional needs of the Damascus Governorate, nor can it accommodate the growing number of employees and visitors.

This month, the Damascus Governorate issued eviction notices to the occupants of buildings located on properties No. 1387 and 641, both of which are owned by the governorate. The governorate building occupies part of these properties, while the remaining areas contain commercial buildings housing retail shops, administrative and engineering offices, and medical clinics. Despite issuing the notices, the governorate has made no public statement regarding the demolition of these neighbouring structures, which are also situated on the same two properties. Moreover, no engineering assessments have been released indicating that demolishing the governorate building would cause structural damage to these adjacent buildings.

The eviction notices issued to the occupants of properties 1387 and 641 caused confusion and concern. All current occupants are considered beneficiaries under permanent “furough” lease contracts signed with the Damascus Governorate decades ago. These contracts, which apply to commercial shops and non-residential offices, are of indefinite duration and were established under rental laws predating Law No. 10 of 2006. They are subject to compulsory renewal, meaning the lease is automatically extended regardless of the landlord’s intent. Under this system, tenants have the right to transfer, inherit, or sell their lease, with the governorate receiving 10 percent of the unit’s value upon such a transaction.

According to these “furough” contracts, tenants paid 80 percent of the value of their shops and offices at the time of rental and continue to pay monthly rent to the Damascus Governorate. Under this system, the property owner – in this case, the governorate – is not legally entitled to evict tenants except in specific cases defined by law, such as modifications to the property or failure to pay rent.

Although the governor, Maher Marwan, met with some of the tenants and verbally assured them that the demolition had been halted and that eviction notices would not be enforced for the time being, these assurances were not accompanied by any written decision or official action from the governorate. This lack of documentation left the tenants in a vulnerable position. They formed a committee to meet with the governor and request a formal reversal of the decision. However, according to a committee representative speaking to The Syria Report, the governor responded: “Isn’t my word enough?”

This administrative confusion – issuing eviction notices and then freezing them without any formal documentation – has deepened the tenants’ mistrust. Some believe that the demolition of the buildings adjacent to the governorate’s headquarters is not driven by engineering concerns, but rather used as a means of pressure to force them out. As a result, amid verbal assurances and unclear procedures, tenants’ concerns remain unresolved, particularly given the possibility that the eviction notices could be reactivated at any time unless officially and permanently cancelled.

A legal source told The Syria Report that the eviction notices lack any legal basis and that the governorate’s action violates the provisions regulating this type of lease. The source described the suspension of the eviction order as a positive step but insufficient unless accompanied by a clear decision that addresses the matter in full. The source also noted that a tenant who has paid “furough” is considered a legal beneficiary and cannot be evicted except under conditions explicitly defined by law. He expressed surprise that the governorate issued the notices based solely on the planned demolition of the governorate building, a justification that does not warrant the eviction of adjacent properties.

The Syria Report spoke with several tenants who expressed their belief that the true aim of the demolition decision is not to modernise the buildings or address any structural risk, but rather to remove existing tenants in preparation for reinvesting in the properties under new conditions. In their view, evicting tenants with “furough” contracts would allow the governorate to reassess rental values in line with current market rates, thereby increasing its revenue. They also expressed concern that the suspension of the decision may be temporary and that it could be reinstated at any time unless formally and definitively cancelled.

Amid these concerns, some tenants have decided to pursue legal action to protect their rights, arguing that the current administrative measures are insufficient and that the governorate is seeking to evict them from their shops and offices using legally unsupported methods — further reinforcing their sense of legal insecurity.