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Idlib Preacher Suspended After Refusing to Delete Sermon Criticizing Government Performance
Local sources reported that the Idlib Directorate of Religious Endowments summoned Dr. Samir Ibrahim and asked him to delete a sermon containing advice and criticism directed at several government ministers.
According to the sources, Ibrahim refused to remove the sermon and was subsequently informed that he had been suspended from preaching and removed from the mosque where he had been leading prayers. No official explanation for the decision has been issued so far.
The incident sparked criticism on social media, with activists describing the measure as an attempt to restrict freedom of religious expression. Others called on the Ministry of Religious Endowments to clarify the reasons for the suspension and disclose the legal and administrative grounds on which the decision was based.
The criticism also included allegations that the ministry had mismanaged its funds and property, spending lavishly on vehicles and administrative privileges while some mosque imams reportedly receive salaries of no more than approximately $90 per month. These allegations could not be independently verified, and no official response from the ministry has been obtained to date.
