Syrian Court Begins Proceedings Against Assad and Allies in Historic Transitional Justice Trial
DAMASCUS — April 25, 2026 — A Syrian criminal court opened the first public proceedings against former President Bashar al-Assad and senior figures of his ousted regime on Sunday, April 26, in a landmark move toward transitional justice more than a year after Assad fled to Moscow following a lightning rebel offensive .
The Fourth Criminal Court in the Palace of Justice in Damascus held the first hearing in what authorities have described as the beginning of “transitional justice” proceedings against those responsible for crimes committed during the Baath Party’s five-decade rule .
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“Today we begin the first trials of transitional justice in Syria,” Judge Fakhr al-Din al-Aryan declared as he opened the session. “This includes a defendant in custody, present in the dock, as well as defendants who have fled justice” .
Atef Najib Becomes First Defendant to Appear in Person
Among those facing charges, only Atef Najib—a former brigadier general, head of the Political Security Branch in Daraa province, and a cousin of the deposed president—appeared in person .
Najib, who was arrested in January 2025 following the collapse of the Assad government, appeared in the defendant’s cage wearing a striped prison jersey with his hands handcuffed . He sat silently inside the metal enclosure as victims’ families, journalists, and Arab and international lawyers watched the proceedings .
He faces charges related to “crimes against the Syrian people” stemming from his role in the violent crackdown on protests in Daraa—the southern city where the 2011 uprising first erupted after the arrest and torture of teenagers who had written anti-regime slogans on school walls .
Protesters who demanded the release of the children were met with gunfire on March 18, 2011, killing several people and sparking nationwide demonstrations that eventually descended into a devastating civil war .
Najib was subsequently placed under US sanctions on April 29, 2011, and EU sanctions on May 9 of the same year .
Assad and Other Fugitives to Be Tried in Absentia
Assad, who ruled Syria for nearly 25 years before fleeing to Moscow in December 2024 as Islamist-led forces closed in on Damascus, will be tried in absentia along with several other senior regime figures .
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Those named by the judge as fugitives from justice include :
- Maher al-Assad, the former president’s brother and commander of the Syrian Army’s elite 4th Armored Division
- Fahd Jassem al-Freij, former defense minister
- Laith al-Ali, former military intelligence chief in Daraa
- Wafiq Nasser, former military intelligence chief in Suwayda province
The judicial source said in-person trials will also include :
- Wassim al-Assad, another relative of the ousted president
- Ahmed Badreddin Hassoun, former grand mufti
- Military and security officials arrested by the new authorities in recent months
Additionally, Syrian authorities on Friday arrested Amjad Yousef, a former intelligence officer who appeared in a leaked video purportedly showing him commanding the execution of dozens of blindfolded and shackled prisoners in the Damascus suburb of Tadamon during the civil war .
Emotional Reactions and President’s Vow for Justice
The hearing was adjourned without questioning Najib, as Sunday’s session was dedicated to “preparatory administrative and legal procedures” . A second hearing has been scheduled for May 10 .
Following the adjournment, emotional scenes unfolded as victims’ families and attendees raised revolutionary slogans inside the courtroom .
One plaintiff, Ramez Abu Nabbout, whose brother was killed when security forces opened fire on protesters at Daraa’s Omari Mosque, told reporters outside the courthouse: “He was a civilian and peaceful, but Atef Najib greeted peaceful (protesters) with gunfire. Of course we hope Atef Najib will be quickly convicted and will get the most serious sentence, which is the death penalty” .
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, whose transitional administration was formed in January 2025, posted on social media platform X following the hearing, stating that justice would remain “one of the highest values for which our people triumphed” .
“Justice remains a major goal pursued by the state and its institutions to ensure fairness for victims, heal wounds, strengthen civil peace and coexistence, and reaffirm our commitment to pursuing those responsible for the suffering of our people,” Sharaa wrote .
A Long-Awaited Step Toward Accountability
Sunday’s proceedings marked a significant milestone in Syria’s journey toward transitional justice, more than a year after the fall of the Assad regime .
Syria’s 13-year civil war killed an estimated half a million people and displaced millions more . Tens of thousands of people disappeared into the country’s brutal prison system, where accounts of systematic torture, starvation, and extrajudicial killings have emerged .
The transitional administration has faced criticism over delays in launching a promised accountability process. However, authorities now appear to be moving more aggressively to prosecute officials linked to the Assad regime .
Baraa Abdulrahman, a spokesperson for the Syrian Ministry of Justice, told The Associated Press that the trial “is of great importance for the independence of the judiciary, for transparency and accountability” .
The Ministry of Justice previously announced that a criminal court dedicated to transitional justice has been established in Damascus, with officials stating that the trials of “imminent” figures linked to the former regime would be conducted fairly and publicly .
As the proceedings continue, victims’ families and the international community will be watching closely to see whether Syria’s new authorities can deliver on their promise of accountability for the atrocities committed during nearly 14 years of civil war. The courthouse, once a symbol of the regime’s power, now stands as a venue where Syrians are beginning to see long-sought justice take its first tentative steps.
SOURCES / INPUTS
Daily Sabah/Anadolu: Syria begins 1st public trial of Assad and allies in Damascus
The New Arab: Syrian court begins proceedings against Assad and allies
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