Syrian Court Opens First Proceedings in Assad-Era Accountability Trials

(MENAFN) A Syrian court has held its first hearing in proceedings involving former President Bashar al-Assad and senior figures from his administration, marking an initial step in what authorities describe as transitional justice efforts following the collapse of his government.

According to judicial officials, the session took place on Sunday and included both defendants present in court and others who will be tried in absentia, including Assad and his brother Maher Assad, who are reported to have fled the country.

One defendant, former security official Atif Najib, appeared in court in custody and was seen in handcuffs. He is the only one among the accused to have been physically present at the hearing.

Opening the session, the presiding judge stated, “Today we begin the first trials of transitional justice in Syria,” adding that the case includes both detained individuals and those who have escaped legal proceedings.

A judicial source indicated that the current hearings are part of preliminary steps toward broader trials involving senior former officials, including members of Assad’s inner circle.

Najib, who was arrested in early 2025 after the fall of the Assad government, appeared in a striped prison uniform. He previously held a senior security role in Daraa, the region widely recognized as the starting point of the 2011 uprising.

He is accused of overseeing a campaign of repression, including widespread arrests during the early stages of the conflict.

The Syrian civil war, which lasted more than a decade, resulted in extensive casualties and displacement, with hundreds of thousands killed and millions forced from their homes. The conflict also involved prolonged military operations, including airstrikes and heavy bombardment of opposition-held areas, alongside reports of mass detentions and enforced disappearances.

Assad reportedly left the country in late 2024 as opposition forces advanced toward the capital, ending decades of his family’s rule.

Sunday’s court session focused on procedural matters rather than questioning the accused. Authorities confirmed that further hearings are scheduled, with the next session set for May 10.

Officials also indicated that additional trials will involve other prominent figures, including relatives of the former president, religious officials, and senior military and intelligence personnel who have been detained by the current authorities in recent months.

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