Syria’s first public trial of Assad-era officials opens in Damascus
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- The first public trial in Syria of officials connected to former President Bashar Assad began in Damascus, focusing on Atef Najib, a former brigadier general and Assad's cousin, charged with crimes against the Syrian people.
- Najib was head of the Political Security Branch in Daraa province in 2011 when the arrest and torture of teenagers for anti-government graffiti sparked mass protests, leading to a brutal crackdown and a 14-year civil war.
- The civil war ended in December 2024 with Assad's ouster during a rebel offensive; Assad fled to Russia, and many of his inner circle escaped Syria, with Assad and his brother charged in absentia.
- Najib was the only defendant present in court for the preparatory session, while crowds gathered outside to celebrate the trial's commencement.
- The interim government, led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa, has faced criticism for delays in transitional justice but is now moving more aggressively to prosecute former regime officials amid efforts to heal the war-torn country.
