Damascus lawyer sues energy minister over steep electricity price hike

A Damascus lawyer, Bassel Saeed Manee, filed a lawsuit on April 13 before the Tenth Civil Court of First Instance against Energy Minister Mohammed al-Bashir and his official capacity, seeking annulment and amendment of an adhesion contract and suspension of Decision No. 687 (Oct. 30, 2025) that raised electricity tariffs. The petition (registered as base number 15412/2026) argues the new rates are unaffordable for millions amid displacement, unemployment and high rents. Manee told Enab Baladi he first approached the administrative judiciary, which declined jurisdiction on procedural grounds, noting the price decision is regulatory; he therefore lodged the case in the civil court, attached subscription contracts and paid bills as evidence, and invited affected consumers with bills in their name to join the suit. He said the court must first notify the defendant via the State Litigation Administration before setting a first hearing, and offered to represent joiners free of charge (each power of attorney may include up to five clients).

Public reaction and context

Enab Baladi reporting documents growing public outrage over unusually large bills—ranging from about 600,000 Syrian pounds ($46–50) to more than 2 million ($154–167) for households and up to 12 million (~$923–1,000) for some commercial meters—despite limited supply hours, reliance on solar systems, or long absences from homes. Many residents say meter readings and slab-based calculations do not reflect reality and that payments exceed monthly incomes (salaries and pensions often below 1.5 million SYP), prompting refusals to pay and interest in switching to solar. The Ministry of Energy defends the October 2025 tariff tiers as part of sector reform aimed at addressing losses estimated at about $1 billion annually and improving service. The lawsuit seeks to halt enforcement of the price decision while legal review proceeds, and Manee said he will also file a related case in administrative court in the coming days, urging those harmed to join the action as plaintiffs, as reported by Enab Baladi