Politics Syria: Trial against senior officer from Assad's rule
In Syria, 15 years after the start of the civil war, a senior ex-officer of the now ousted government of Bashar al-Assad is on trial for the first time. Former brigadier Atef Najib was formally charged today before a criminal court in Damascus. The trial began with a hearing two weeks ago.
10.05.2026, 15:45
SDA
There are many hopes associated with the trial that the atrocities committed under Assad's brutal rule will be dealt with. He was overthrown during an offensive by Islamist militias in December 2024 and fled into exile in Russia. He is said to be living with his family in Moscow and the United Arab Emirates. Assad is also a defendant in the trial.
A look back at Daraa, the cradle of Syria's mass protests
Najib is a cousin of Assad. As the former head of security in the southern city of Daraa, he is accused of crimes against the Syrian people, including "systematic mass murder" and arbitrary arrests. The peaceful uprisings against Assad began in Daraa in 2011 after young people sprayed anti-government graffiti on the walls of their school and were arrested.
The protests were brutally suppressed and ultimately led to a civil war with hundreds of thousands of deaths, massive destruction and unprecedented violence against the population. Hundreds of thousands of people ended up in prison, many were tortured or disappeared. Many relatives of victims see the trial as a first step towards justice. Some of the relatives are also present at the trial.
A trial to pacify the population?
Others, however, see it merely as an attempt to appease the population or foreign partners. Critics emphasize that Syrian law does not provide for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), for example, argues that even severe sentences would not recognize the "systematic and institutional nature of the crimes".
In addition, judges and prosecutors have little to no experience with complex court proceedings for atrocities such as those committed during the Assad years.
