A photographer’s watermark ended up inside Syrian passports.
Pages 34–35 of سوريا’s biometric passport feature an image of Souq al‑Hamidiyah in Damascus — and the printed scene still includes the visible text “Waseem Asmar Photography.”
The photograph has been linked to Syrian photographer Waseem Asmar, who said he recognized his own image in the passport design.
One important detail: this is not a brand-new 2026 passport design. The biometric passport model carrying this image has been in use since 2023.
Images: Syrian passport interior pages / Souq al‑Hamidiyah, Damascus
