Syria’s Deputy Minister of Justice, Mustafa al-Qasim, announced on Wednesday, August 12, the creation of a specialized committee tasked with coordinating with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to pursue the extradition of fugitives abroad.
In an interview with Al-Ikhbariya TV, al-Qasim said strengthened international cooperation would accelerate judicial procedures by enabling the return of suspects who fled the country. He noted that the ministry has opened dedicated offices to receive complaints related to transitional justice violations, aiming to streamline processes for citizens. Parallel efforts, he added, are underway to recover stolen assets and trace investments transferred overseas.
Al-Qasim said the ministry seeks to align Syrian judicial practices with international trial standards while upholding national sovereignty within the transitional justice framework.
His remarks follow a ruling by the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus, which issued a death sentence in person against Atef Najib, former head of Political Security in Daraa, and in absentia death sentences against deposed president Bashar al-Assad, his brother Maher al-Assad, and several former senior officials, including Fahd al-Freij, Louay al-Ali, Qusay Mayhoub, Wafiq Nasser, and Talal al-Aasami.
Justice Ministry Responds to Amnesty International
The Ministry of Justice issued a formal response to Amnesty International after the organization criticized the death sentences handed down against Assad and former regime officials. The ministry argued that Amnesty’s assessment “does not reflect the procedural nature of the trials” or the legal safeguards provided under Syrian law.
According to Wednesday’s statement, the proceedings were held before a competent civil criminal court, overseen by qualified judges, with victims and their legal representatives present. The ministry said the trials adhered to constitutional guarantees, statutory procedures, and principles of international humanitarian and human rights law, relying on documented case files and physical evidence while preserving defense rights and appeal mechanisms.
While expressing respect for international human rights organizations monitoring justice in Syria, the ministry insisted that delivering justice is a sovereign institutional responsibility designed to ensure redress for victims and due process for defendants.
The statement responded to Amnesty International’s post on X (formerly Twitter) on August 11, which declared: “To truly turn the page on the horrors of the past, the government should abolish trials in absentia, end the use of the death penalty, and incorporate core crimes under international law into national legislation.”
The ministry countered that Syria’s exceptional circumstances—and the legacy of widespread violations—impose a legal and moral obligation on the state to ensure accountability without undermining constitutional standards or stripping defendants of their rights.
It emphasized that the rule of law and judicial independence form the foundation of justice in post-conflict Syria. Ongoing reforms, it said, aim to strengthen judicial autonomy, guarantee fair trial standards, and modernize legal frameworks to rebuild public trust and eliminate impunity, free from politicization or retribution.
Amnesty International has repeatedly called for comprehensive judicial reform in Syria to bring all legal proceedings in line with international fair-trial standards, arguing that prosecuting perpetrators of atrocities committed under the Assad regime is essential for truth, accountability, and reparations for victims.
Legal Barriers to Extradition
Despite Damascus’s efforts, significant international legal obstacles stand in the way of extraditing individuals sentenced to death. Many countries prohibit extradition to jurisdictions where defendants face execution, unless binding assurances are provided that the death penalty will not be applied.
Legal scholar Mansour al-Omari, writing for the Arab Reform Initiative, noted that German law forbids extradition if the requested individual could face capital punishment, unless the requesting state guarantees the sentence will not be carried out. Swedish law similarly bars extradition in cases involving the death penalty.
As for Russia—where Assad, his brother, and several former officials currently reside—legal experts consider extradition highly unlikely, regardless of whether Moscow grants them refugee status or temporary humanitarian protection. Any future decision would be political, but Russia could also cite its obligations under international conventions, including the UN Convention Against Torture, to justify refusing extradition. Nonetheless, international law obliges Moscow to investigate serious allegations against individuals within its jurisdiction.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
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