The Syrian Artists Syndicate announced the revocation of membership for four of its Central Council members: Amal Houija, Mays Harb, Mohammad Al-Rashi, and Nour Mhanna. The syndicate stated that the decision was based on its internal regulations and the provisions of Law No. 40 of 2019, following approval by the smaller committee.

Meanwhile, artist Youssef Abdo was appointed as a new member of the council, with tasks redistributed within the council. The new composition of the Central Council includes members: Hussein Al-Mutlak, Roua Yassin, Colette Bakir, Zuhair Qanoo, Jihad Azar, and Ali Al-Qasim. The syndicate did not disclose the detailed reasons behind the revocation decision or the nature of the inquiries that preceded it.

Background of the Crisis

These developments come amid an escalating internal crisis within the syndicate, which became public after the council announced on May 5 the withdrawal of confidence from the current head, Mazen Al-Natour. The council accused Al-Natour of making unilateral decisions and marginalizing the role of the Central Council. Al-Natour denied these claims entirely, describing the vote of no confidence as "legally void."

Controversial Decisions

Since assuming office in March 2025, Mazen Al-Natour sparked wide controversy within the artistic community due to a series of decisions, most notably dismissing artist Sulaf Fawakherji and granting honorary memberships to well-known artists with nationalist stances, such as Asala Nasri and Fadel Shaker. His critics argue that these actions were taken unilaterally and contrary to applicable regulations.

Anticipation of Further Developments

So far, the four artists whose memberships were revoked have not issued any official statements. It is expected that the coming days will see more interactions within the syndicate, which remains one of the most influential entities in the Syrian artistic scene, amid anticipation of how this crisis will unfold in the near future.