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More than six decades after the exceptional 1962 census, thousands of Syrians classified as “unregistered” (maktoumi al-qayd) continue to face its consequences in their daily lives, from education and employment to freedom of movement. In this testimony, Khidr Mohammed Khidr and his wife, Roken Bakr, residents of Qamishli in al-Hasakah Governorate, recount their experience of being deprived of citizenship after years of waiting, and the developments that followed the issuance of Decree No. 13.
This interview, conducted by Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ) on 28 September 2026, documents the couple’s account of life without citizenship, the hopes raised by the issuance of the decree, and the challenges they faced in its aftermath.