The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus began on Wednesday, June 24, the first session of the trial of the defendant Wassim al-Assad, who is involved in several crimes against the Syrian people during the era of the former regime.

The indictment, which was read out by Judge Fakhr al-Din al-Erian, included the management and formation of irregular armed groups that participated in large-scale military operations targeting civilian areas in Eastern Ghouta, especially the town of al-Maliha, which resulted in the death of a large number of civilians, in addition to his responsibility for a murder in Jaramana, in addition to public incitement to violence, involvement in drug smuggling and trafficking, and committing crimes of robbery and extortion.

After the indictment was read, the live broadcast of the trial was suspended, and the Ministry of Justice clarified that this came within the procedures of the witness protection program, with the continuation of the trial session, and the completion of all judicial procedures as usual without being shown on the air, in order to preserve the confidentiality of the testimonies and the safety of the participants in the case.

On June 21, 2025, the Ministry of Interior arrested "Wassim al-Assad" on the Syrian-Lebanese border in a "tight security" operation in cooperation with the General Intelligence Service.

Mechanism for Submitting Complaints and Testimony before the Court

The National Commission for Transitional Justice has identified clear and secure legal pathways that allow victims and their families to file complaints and testify against the symbols of the former regime, while ensuring the highest degree of privacy and protection.

The complaints process is carried out through three main channels, including the Commission's encrypted electronic platform, regional offices in Damascus and the governorates, in addition to diplomatic missions and partner human rights organizations that receive files of Syrians abroad.

Given the sensitivity of the files at hand, the Commission has adopted a rigorous witness and victim protection program, which allows testimony to be given behind a curtain or via video technology with audio editing and image blinding, as well as withholding the true identity when there are justifiable risks. The Commission also provides parallel psychological support during the hearings and appoints free lawyers to represent families who cannot afford it, ensuring a safe environment that encourages victims to testify without fear.

Replacing the death penalty with life imprisonment

Sanctions handed down by Syria's transitional justice courts are based on a combination of the provisions of Syria's general penal code and the principles of international humanitarian law, including the standards contained in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

According to legal sources exclusively to "Syrian News", these sanctions focus on achieving deterrence and justice for victims away from any retaliatory nature, through three main tracks, including criminal, financial, and political penalties.

The sources said that severe penalties may be imposed on those accused of murder and systematic torture, and the issuance of liquidation orders such as Atef Najib and Wassim al-Assad, where the punishment is up to life imprisonment or aggravated imprisonment for a period of up to 25 years in central prisons.

The temporary hard labour sentence of 10 to 20 years is applied to sub-participants and informants, such as Abdel Nasser Baraq, who have been found to have indirectly caused arrest or harm, the sources said. In line with international standards, the death penalty is being replaced by life imprisonment to ensure international recognition of sentences and facilitate the prosecution of defendants fleeing the country.