Kathrine Frich
Syria is beginning to confront its past after decades of authoritarian rule and years of brutal conflict.
A new chapter is unfolding as the country’s leadership seeks accountability for crimes committed during the war.
The first courtroom steps are now underway.
First trial begins
Syrian authorities have launched the first public trial targeting officials from the former Assad regime, according to state news agency SANA cited by Digi24.
The hearing took place at the Palace of Justice in Damascus under tight security, with senior judicial figures in attendance.
The case centers on Atef Najib, a cousin of former president Bashar al-Assad, who appeared in court as the first defendant.
In the courtroom
Najib, a former security official, is accused of crimes against Syrian citizens during the early stages of the uprising.
Relatives of victims attended the hearing, alongside international lawyers and media, highlighting the wider attention surrounding the case.
“Today we are starting the first trials related to transitional justice in Syria,” said judge Fakhr al-Din al-Aryan.
More cases ahead
The judge noted that the proceedings would include both detained suspects and those who have fled justice.
“They target a defendant in detention, present in the box, as well as defendants who have evaded justice,” he said.
The session focused on preliminary legal procedures, with the next hearing scheduled for May 10.
Justice pledge
Syria’s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has made accountability a central priority.
He said justice would remain “a major objective that the state and its institutions are striving to achieve.”
Officials say the trial could pave the way for cases against other senior figures, including Bashar al-Assad and his brother, who are expected to be tried in absentia.
The fall of Assad’s government in 2024 ended more than 50 years of rule by his family.
The conflict, which began in 2011, left over half a million people dead and saw widespread allegations of repression, bombings and mass detentions.
Sources: SANA, AFP, Digi24.
