Syria opens first public trial for Assad-era crimes as president vows justice

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa declared on Sunday that justice “will remain one of the highest values for which our people triumphed” as the country held its first public trial over crimes committed during the Bashar al-Assad era. In a post on the US-based social media platform X, Sharaa stated that justice would be “a major goal pursued by the state and its institutions to ensure fairness for victims, heal wounds, strengthen civil peace and coexistence.”

Former regime official faces victims’ families

The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus held the first public hearing of Atef Najib, the former head of political security in Daraa province and a cousin of ousted leader Bashar al-Assad. Najib appeared before victims’ families on charges related to violations against civilians in Daraa — the birthplace of the 2011 uprising. According to Al-Ikhbariya TV, the trial is part of Syria’s first transitional justice proceedings and includes Najib alongside several fugitives.

Assad and others named as defendants

The judge named several other defendants during the session, including Bashar al-Assad, his brother Maher al-Assad, former Defense Minister Fahd Jassem al-Freij, and former military intelligence chiefs Laith al-Ali and Wafiq Nasser. The court was adjourned until May 10. Victims’ families and attendees reacted emotionally, raising revolutionary slogans after the hearing. Najib was arrested in January 2025. Assad fled to Russia in December 2024 after nearly 25 years in power.