Concerts by pro-Assad singers cancelled in Syria after public protests
Residents in Homs and elsewhere in Syria tore down posters protesting concerts by singers who had previously praised ousted president Bashar al-Assad, leading to several cancellations and public apologies.
On July 20, residents of Homs tore down posters advertising concerts by Lebanese singer Mohamad Iskandar and Syrian singer Hossam Jneed, accusing both of having supported former president Bashar al-Assad's regime. Iskandar had been due to perform on August 14 at the Lion Palace hotel in al-Hawash, near Homs, while Jneed had concerts planned in Homs and nearby towns including Sadad.
Following the protests, the Lion Palace management announced that same evening it was cancelling Iskandar's concert, citing respect for public sentiment and a wish to preserve community unity. Posters were also torn down in Yabroud, north of Damascus. In late June, the Ministry of Culture had already cancelled a concert by singer Shadi Jamil at the Damascus Opera House.
All three artists have a history of publicly praising Assad. Iskandar released a pro-Assad song in 2016, Jneed's 2013 track became a regime anthem, and Jamil was filmed in 2014 praising Assad's leadership during a concert in Venezuela.
Different responses
After his concert was cancelled, Iskandar appealed directly to interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, insisting he is only an entertainer, not a political figure, and asking for the matter to be examined. Jneed instead issued a public apology to the Syrian people, particularly mothers who lost relatives in the war. Jamil also apologised for his past remarks in Venezuela.
Journalist Ahmed al-Shamali explained that Homs remains especially sensitive, as many Sunni neighbourhoods are still in ruins while Alawite areas were comparatively spared, fuelling a sense of injustice among residents.
Moussa al-Sweidan of the Ministry of Culture said the cancellations follow a directive issued in November 2025 barring events featuring figures who glorified the former regime or denied its crimes, citing Rwanda's post-genocide reconciliation as a model Syria hopes to follow.
