Assad and allies must face justice as war criminals, says Syrian judge

A prominent Syrian judge has called for the prosecution of ousted President Bashar Al-Assad and his allies for war crimes and crimes against humanity, citing years of atrocities and widespread violence in Syria.

“Bashar Al-Assad and those who worked with him should be pursued as war criminals and perpetrators of crimes against humanity under international law,” Judge Abdulhay Al-Tavil told Anadolu. He stressed his commitment to prosecuting members of terrorist organisations through the Cinderes Court.

Tavil, a prominent Syrian legal authority serving in the north-western district of Afrin, began his career at the Homs Justice Department in 1998. He has played a pivotal role in efforts to establish a fair and stable judicial system in post-conflict Syria.

The judge resigned from his position in 2011 at the onset of the Syrian civil war, citing the regime’s violent suppression of citizens’ demands for civil freedoms. He and his family sought refuge in Turkiye in 2013 but returned to Syria in 2017 to establish the first court in Jarablus, a city liberated from ISIS/Daesh control.

“My goal is primarily to support stability in these regions and ensure that justice is served,” he explained. “I also focus on tracking ISIS and PKK terrorists near the Turkish border.”

As chief prosecutor, Tavil later moved to Cinderes following its liberation during Turkiye’s Olive Branch Operation, where he has since helped establish a functioning court.

“This criminal regime displaced millions of Syrians and killed hundreds of thousands. My emotions are the same as any other Syrian citizen, feeling immense joy that this criminal has fled,” said Tavil, referring to Assad’s flight from power. He criticised the former regime’s judicial system, describing it as a security apparatus that operated outside the law.

“Assad enacted laws to support his oppressive powers. Hence, my current goal as a Syrian judge is to deliver justice for my people, prosecute the criminals who harmed Syria, and ensure that victims of this regime and its criminal elements receive their rights.”

Tavil expressed his wish to see Assad return to Syria to face trial under the country’s judicial framework. “I hope that Assad will return and be tried in Syria, where the law applied to him will be the same law applied by Syrian judges. He should receive the punishment he deserves under Syrian law.”

The judge also condemned the notorious Sednaya Prison, which became infamous during Assad’s rule for its brutality. “This prison is one of the most brutal in the world, and war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed there,” he said, describing it as a site where death sentences and executions were carried out without due process, emblematic of a regime that he believes should face accountability under international law.

Furthermore, he criticised Assad’s establishment of so-called “terror courts”, which operated outside legal norms to execute the regime’s orders. “After the revolution began, Assad established new laws and courts under the name of ‘terror courts’. Of course, these courts operated outside the law, carrying out the orders of intelligence agencies and the regime.”

As Tavil continues his judicial work in Cinderes, his efforts stand as a testament to the resilience of Syria’s legal system in the face of decades of oppression. His call for justice reflects a broader yearning among Syrians for accountability and the rule of law.

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