Ahmad al-Sharaa Stresses Justice as Syria's Highest Value

(MENAFN) Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa declared Sunday that justice stands as "one of the highest values for which our people triumphed," as Damascus opened its first public criminal proceedings against a senior figure from the former Assad regime — a landmark moment in the country's fragile post-war transition.

In a post on X, the social media platform owned by US entrepreneur Elon Musk, Sharaa vowed that justice would remain "a major goal pursued by the state and its institutions to ensure fairness for victims, heal wounds, strengthen civil peace and coexistence, and reaffirm our commitment to pursuing those responsible for the suffering of our people."

His statement coincided with the opening session at Damascus' Fourth Criminal Court, where Atef Najib — former head of the political security branch in southern Daraa province and a cousin of ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad — appeared before a judge and the families of his alleged victims.

Najib faces charges tied to systematic violations against civilians in Daraa, the cradle of Syria's 2011 uprising against Assad rule.

According to a broadcaster, the proceedings represent Syria's inaugural transitional justice trial. While Najib stands as the sole detained defendant, several others were named in absentia as fugitives.

The presiding judge named the following individuals during the session: ousted leader Bashar al-Assad; his brother Maher al-Assad, commander of the Syrian Army's elite 4th Armored Division; former Defense Minister Fahd Jassem al-Freij; former military intelligence chief in Daraa, Laith al-Ali; and former military intelligence chief in Suwayda province, Wafiq Nasser. The judge subsequently adjourned proceedings until May 10.

The courtroom erupted with raw emotion following the adjournment, with victims' relatives and attendees raising revolutionary slogans inside the chamber.

A state news agency reported that Najib, arrested in January 2025, is charged with committing crimes against the Syrian people — making him the first member of the former regime's inner circle to face public trial. The agency confirmed that victims' family members, Arab and international legal representatives, and journalists were present throughout the session.

Residents of Daraa voiced visible relief at seeing Najib placed in the defendant's cage, describing him as a man who had humiliated entire communities, abused families, and played a central role in the arrest and torture of children — detentions widely credited with igniting the broader Syrian revolution.

Bashar al-Assad, who governed Syria for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia in December 2024 following the collapse of his government, ending the Baath Party's stranglehold on power that had begun in 1963. A transitional administration under President Ahmad al-Sharaa was formally established in January 2025.

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