Request to Lift Syria Restrictions – Legal Conditions Are Now Met

[tecno14]

Dear GitHub team,

GitHub has previously stated that it was “obligated by law to await the lifting of export controls, separate from OFAC sanctions, before unrestricting further products and features in Syria” here.

We recognize the compliance challenges GitHub must follow. However, the situation has now changed:

---

1. OFAC Sanctions – Lifted

• On July 1, 2025, U.S. sanctions on Syria were formally revoked by Executive Order.
• OFAC confirmed in updated FAQs that general transactions with Syria are no longer prohibited, except dealings with specifically designated persons/entities.

🔗 Sources:
Syria Sanctions - Inactive and Archived - OFAC
Archive of Inactive Sanctions Programs
U.S. Department of Treasury – Syria Program FAQs
GitHub Community – Sanctions discussion

---

2. Export Controls (BIS / EAR) – Relaxed

• On August 28, 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued a final rule easing export controls on Syria.
• Civilian-use software and services classified as EAR99 are now generally allowed for export without a license.
• Restrictions remain only for military end-users, WMD, or blacklisted entities.

🔗 Source: BIS – Press Release, Aug 28 2025

---

Current GitHub Status

• Public repositories are accessible in Syria.
• But private repositories, GitHub Actions, Copilot, Codespaces, and other core features remain blocked.
• This no longer appears to be required by U.S. law, only pending GitHub’s internal compliance updates.

---

Why Action is Needed Now

GitHub’s mission is to be maximally available to developers as allowed by law. With sanctions lifted and export controls relaxed, GitHub can legally restore access to Syrian developers today, while still screening against restricted entities.

Every day of delay means lost opportunities for Syrian developers to collaborate openly, legally, and productively on GitHub.

---

Call to Action

We respectfully request GitHub leadership and compliance teams to:

1. Confirm that restrictions for Syria are no longer legally required.
2. Provide a timeline for restoring full account functionality.
3. Open a public status update on GitHub Docs or the Community Forum like Announcements.

Thank you for your attention, and for continuing to support open collaboration worldwide.

@github/support
#access, #compliance, #export-controls, #Syria, #compliance, #export-controls, #sanctions, #syria-access
#GitHub #OpenAccess #Syria #DeveloperFreedom

#159352, #159132

[github-actions[bot]]

💬 Your Product Feedback Has Been Submitted 🎉

Thank you for taking the time to share your insights with us! Your feedback is invaluable as we build a better GitHub experience for all our users.

Here's what you can expect moving forward ⏩

• Your input will be carefully reviewed and cataloged by members of our product teams. 
  • Due to the high volume of submissions, we may not always be able to provide individual responses.
  • Rest assured, your feedback will help chart our course for product improvements.
• Other users may engage with your post, sharing their own perspectives or experiences. 
• GitHub staff may reach out for further clarification or insight. 
  • We may 'Answer' your discussion if there is a current solution, workaround, or roadmap/changelog post related to the feedback.

Where to look to see what's shipping 👀

• Read the Changelog for real-time updates on the latest GitHub features, enhancements, and calls for feedback.
• Explore our Product Roadmap, which details upcoming major releases and initiatives.

What you can do in the meantime 💻

• Upvote and comment on other user feedback Discussions that resonate with you.
• Add more information at any point! Useful details include: use cases, relevant labels, desired outcomes, and any accompanying screenshots.

As a member of the GitHub community, your participation is essential. While we can't promise that every suggestion will be implemented, we want to emphasize that your feedback is instrumental in guiding our decisions and priorities.

Thank you once again for your contribution to making GitHub even better! We're grateful for your ongoing support and collaboration in shaping the future of our platform. ⭐

[tecno14]

#GitHub #OpenAccess #Syria #DeveloperFreedom

[tecno14]

a ticket opened at : https://support.github.com/ticket/personal/0/3727428

[tecno14]

[h-khansaa]

I have same restrictions in my account and I already requested to lift Syria restrictions month ago with no replay on my ticket. Hopefully they can see your request.

[h-khansaa]

[tecno14]

Share this discussion with your friends to get more upvote as possible please
https://github.com/orgs/community/discussions/172169

[HasanMothaffar]

Alhamdullilah, GitHub has responeded here: https://github.blog/company/github-is-enabling-broader-access-for-developers-in-syria-following-new-government-trade-rules/

@tecno14 Would you kindly open a similar ticket so GitLab and Slack can take action too?

I opened a thread in GitLab forums, but no one from support cared to respond. I also sent an email to Slack support, but it was before the easing of US export controls. I'll resend an email soon.

I don't know if there's a more effective way to contact GitLab, and I'd appreciate help from you and other Syrian devs raising this matter.

[HasanMothaffar]

For reference, this is the disrespectful reply of Saleforce's support (Slack is owned by Salesforce).

[shinybrightstar]

Hi @tecno14

Thank you for reaching out.

We understand the importance of clarity around the recent changes related to sanctions affecting Syrian developers. A response from a GitHub staff has been provided in this post.

GitHub is also enabling broader access for developers in Syria following recent government trade rule changes.