Damascus Court Holds 19 Sessions in War Crimes Trial
The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus, which specializes in transitional justice, has concluded 19 judicial sessions focused on cases involving numerous individuals accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. These trials are part of broader judicial proceedings addressing violations committed against civilians during the tenure of the former regime.
According to an announcement by the National Commission for Transitional Justice via its official Telegram channel, the sessions involved standard public trial procedures, including the formal reading of case files and the presentation of evidence and claims. The court has opted to postpone final rulings on several of these cases to ensure all legal requirements are met. This includes the completion of defense submissions, the summoning of witnesses, and the renewal of legal notifications.
Individual, in-person court sessions were held for several defendants charged with bearing arms and committing violations against civilians. The accused include Muhammad Khalid Kadrou, Muhammad Jassim, Khalid Ahmed al-Aliwi, Zakariya Basrawi Arslan, Ramez Sahyouni, Saif al-Din Khudair, Youssef Kwaifati, Muhammad Ramadan Deebo, Abdul Qader al-Hariri, and Mustafa Muhammad Hammali. During these proceedings, the public prosecution submitted evidence and requests for the maximum penalties to be imposed. The defendants denied all charges brought against them. The court has scheduled October 26, 2026, for the continuation of defense pleadings and formal claims.
In a related development, the court addressed a case of “criminal slander” involving defendant Muhammad Reda bin Imad Malo. That session was also postponed to the same October date to allow for the summoning of public rights witnesses. Additionally, the court reviewed the cases of several other individuals, issuing procedural adjournment notices for those who failed to appear. This group includes Tamam Ali Ghoneim, Ziad Ghoneim, Ahmed Hussein al-Juma, Muhammad Hussein al-Juma, Muhammad Jihad Hamwi, Mahmoud Muhammad Tahan, Muhammad Saleh Nazi, Ali Tamis and his associates, among others. Their hearings were also rescheduled for late October 2026.
Radif Mustafa, a lawyer and director of the Accountability and Justice Department at the National Commission for Transitional Justice, confirmed that the trial process is strictly following approved legal procedures. He emphasized that the volume of case files reflects the severity of the violations being addressed. Mustafa stated that the judiciary is committed to ensuring the rights of the defense for all accused parties. He further called upon victims, their families, and any individuals possessing credible documents or testimony to present them through official channels to aid in the discovery of the truth.
These sessions are part of a wider judicial trajectory initiated by the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus. Earlier this month, the court heard from public rights witnesses in cases related to other defendants. In August, the same court issued rulings—ranging from life imprisonment to the death penalty—against ten prominent figures of the former regime, including Bashar al-Assad and various military and security leaders, as part of the country’s transitional justice efforts.
Source: Syria Focus Arabic
