Damascus Criminal Court Continues Hearings on War Crimes Cases
The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus, which specializes in transitional justice, continued its public and in-person sessions this week to review cases involving individuals accused of war crimes and violations against civilians. These proceedings are part of the Syrian judiciary’s ongoing efforts to adjudicate matters related to recent conflict-era abuses.
During Monday’s session, the court examined the case of defendant Abdul Jabbar Zureiq. The prosecution confirmed the indictment against him, which includes charges of joining the “Liwa al-Quds” brigade, participating in killings, looting, and forced displacement, as well as inciting sectarian conflict. The prosecution requested that the maximum penalties be imposed on the defendant. In response, the defense counsel presented an oral argument and a written memorandum, while the defendant denied the charges and requested leniency. The court decided to adjourn the case until October 28 for final review ahead of the verdict.
In a separate case, the court heard testimony from a witness and a plaintiff regarding the case of Ibrahim Mohammed al-Faouri. He is being tried on charges of attempted premeditated murder against plaintiffs Mohammed Ismail and Anas al-Hariri. The court ruled to dismiss the need to summon further witnesses and adjourned the session to October 28, which is reserved for defense arguments and final prosecution requests.
The court also addressed the case of Adnan Mohammed al-Aboud, with the family of the late Nasser Abu Aoun in attendance. The indictment alleges that al-Aboud was involved in handing the victim over to a security branch. Al-Aboud faces charges related to kidnapping and torture leading to death. The defendant denied these accusations, and the court scheduled the next session for November 2 to continue hearing witnesses for the public interest.
These sessions reflect a period of intensive judicial activity for the Fourth Criminal Court. Over the past week, the court held 19 sessions to examine the files of several individuals accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity. This work is being carried out within the judicial framework established by the National Transitional Justice Commission to address violations committed against civilians.
Source: Syria Focus Arabic
