The Paris Court of Appeal ratified today, Wednesday, the international arrest warrant issued by French investigative judges against Bashar al-Assad on charges of complicity in committing crimes against humanity in the chemical attacks that took place in 2013 in Ghouta, Damascus.
The Court of Appeal rejected the request by the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office to cancel the arrest warrant, citing the personal immunity of presidents while in office.
French judicial authorities had issued arrest warrants against Bashar al-Assad and his brother Maher, commander of the Fourth Division, last November 2023, in addition to Generals Ghassan Ibrahim and Bassam Hassan, on charges of complicity in attacks that constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.
This decision is unprecedented as it lifted Bashar al-Assad’s immunity and allowed for his prosecution on charges of war crimes, leading to the issuance of international arrest warrants.
The Chemical Violations Documentation Center in Syria welcomed the decision of the French Court of Appeal, calling for the execution of the arrest warrant against Bashar al-Assad and for him to be brought to justice to be tried for the war crimes for which the investigative judges found him guilty.
Nidal Shikhani, Director of the Chemical Violations Documentation Center of Syria, stated that this decision is a glimmer of hope for the victims and their families in achieving the long-awaited justice. He emphasized the importance of documenting all crimes committed with the aim of bringing the perpetrators to justice.
Shikhani praised the efforts of all organizations working to document these crimes and pursue them in international courts, highlighting the importance of ending impunity, especially in Syria. He noted that this is crucial for justice to take its course, for Syrians to restore stability, and for rebuilding Syria following the arrest of all those whose hands are stained with Syrian blood.
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