A decree issued in the Syrian capital of Damascus last week restricted the sale of alcohol, the latest incident hinting at increased religious conservatism under the leadership of Islamist president Ahmed al-Sharaa. Alcohol is frowned upon under conservative Islamic law, and its sale and consumption are associated with Christian or Western influence in some parts of the world. The decree allowed limited exceptions for shops in certain Christian neighborhoods of Damascus, but even there, it permitted the sale of sealed bottles only. It completely prohibited alcohol sales in restaurants, bars, and nightclubs.