30,000 Syrian families are victims of pension "theft"

Testimonies and investigations by Zaman al-Wasl reveal the continued suffering of thousands of retirees whose pensions and insurance benefits were cut off by the security apparatus of the former regime under the pretext of "supporting terrorism" or their children's affiliation with the revolution.

Security reprisals and financial extortion

The punishment was not limited to employees, but also extended to elderly people who retired decades ago (some as far back as 2003), whose pensions were suspended in 2017.

One case recounted to Zaman al-Wasl involved the arrest of a 70-year-old man whose pension was suspended. He was only released after paying a $10,000 bribe.

Lost in bureaucracy

Those affected are caught in a bureaucratic maze, with public institutions passing the buck and refusing to grant individual exceptions, even with official written requests, under the pretext of waiting for a "comprehensive review of the case."

Legal experts assert that a pension is a "property right" resulting from monthly deductions throughout years of service, and it is not legally permissible to use it as a tool of political punishment or a means of blackmailing and starving the people.