Daughter of Imprisoned Syrian Christian Leader Appeals for U.S. Intervention

Natalie Khalil, daughter of former Sadad mayor Suleiman Khalil, is calling on the U.S. government to help secure her father’s release from a Syrian prison. Suleiman Khalil, a Syriac Orthodox Christian known for leading the defense of his town against the Islamic State in 2015, has been detained without charges since February 2025 by the Syrian Transitional Government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Advocacy groups In Defense of Christians (IDC) and Christian Solidarity International (CSI) are currently lobbying U.S. officials to prioritize religious freedom in their engagement with Syria. Richard Ghazal, executive director of IDC, stated that Khalil’s ongoing detention serves as a critical test for the new government’s commitment to equal rights for religious minorities. Advocates expressed concern over recent U.S. policy shifts, including the removal of sanctions and the rescinding of Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.

Natalie Khalil reported that her father has been denied legal counsel and regular family contact. During a brief visit in May 2025, she and her mother were required to remove their crosses and wear hijabs. She described the prison conditions as severely overcrowded, noting that her father remains in custody without formal charges.