Syria's New Swimwear Mandate: Burkinis Required for Public Beaches

Syria's Islamist-led interim government has instituted regulations requiring women to wear burkinis or other modest swimwear at public beaches and pools, while detailing conduct and clothing guidelines for both genders.

Syria's interim government, led by an Islamist council, has introduced a decree requiring that women wear burkinis—full-body swimsuits that respect Islamic modesty—or other "decent" outfits at public beaches and swimming pools. This initiative, put forth by the tourism ministry, aims to "enhance public safety standards and preserve public decency," as reported by the state-run channel Al-Ikhbariyah al-Suriyah. The directive exempts private beaches, clubs, and pools as well as prestigious hotels with four or more stars.

Traditionally, women in Syria often dress modestly at public water sites, with some choosing Western-style swimsuits. However, under the new regulations, beachgoers must don "more modest swimwear," specifying burkinis or clothing that covers more of the body in public areas. Additionally, the decree instructs women to wear cover-ups or looser clothing over swimsuits when traveling between swimming locations. It also prohibits women from wearing swimwear outside of beach settings without an appropriate cover.

Men are similarly subject to new dress codes, as they are expected to wear shirts outside of swimming areas and are not permitted to go bare-chested away from these designated zones. Furthermore, the directive emphasizes that while "normal Western swimwear" is generally acceptable in exempted venues, attire must conform to societal standards of taste.

The governmental statement did not clarify any penalties for non-compliance or the mechanisms for enforcement. Alongside swimwear regulations, the decree includes additional safety measures for beach and pool operations.

This recent development follows the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime by Islamist rebel forces led by Ahmed al-Sharaa in December last year, officially concluding years of civil conflict. Following the takeover, al-Sharaa has claimed his commitment to running the government inclusively. In a prior BBC interview, he expressed support for women's education and rejected comparisons to Afghanistan's approach to women's rights.

In March, he signed a constitutional declaration marking a transitional five-year period, reaffirming Islam as the president's religion and identifying Islamic jurisprudence as the primary source of legislation, while simultaneously promising to uphold women's rights and freedom of expression.