President of the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus, Judge Fakhreddin Al-Aryan, confirmed that absentia judgments issued against fugitive criminals Bashar al-Assad, Maher al-Assad, and others have legal effect and are sent to the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to pursue and follow them according to due process.
The court president clarified in a statement to SANA on Thursday that the Fourth Criminal Court, specialized in transitional justice, is a Syrian court composed of Syrian judges, subordinate to the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, and applies Syrian laws; it is not a special or extraordinary court.
61 Cases Under Review
Judge Al-Aryan stated: "We have ruled on four cases, which are well-known among the Syrian people and relate to the commission of serious violations, and the court is currently reviewing approximately 61 existing cases, followed according to standard legal procedures."
He pointed out that absentia judgments are issued to ensure the justice process is not stalled and are not final; the judgment is voided upon the arrest of the fugitives or their surrender, and trial procedures are restarted until a verdict in presence is issued.
Leadership Responsibility and Evidence
The court president stressed that the judgment issued against the fugitive criminal Bashar al-Assad was not issued merely because he held the position of President of the Republic, but due to the establishment of his responsibility through the chain of command and orders, and evidence documenting his direct participation in issuing orders from the top of the pyramid to the field executors.
He noted that the ousted regime sought to obliterate evidence before its fall and tried to hide everything proving the fate of detainees to evade its crimes, making the court face a daunting task in determining the fate of the missing whose families do not know their fate.
Witness Protection and Asset Confiscation
He clarified that the court applied the principle of protecting witnesses and evidence for both parties, and protection was not limited to victims' witnesses but also included defendants' witnesses, as in the case of Atef Najib, where the court responded to his request to hear protected witnesses with secret numbers.
The court president pointed out that the court ruled for the confiscation of the convicts' assets and depositing them in a special fund until a compensation fund is formed, ensuring the rights of the broad base of victims who were unable to appear and file claims for personal rights.
He concluded his remarks by emphasizing that the transitional justice process is moving forward, justice will pursue all those involved, and rights will be restored to their owners; everyone will receive their rights and guarantees before the court, whether defendants or victims.
The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus had previously issued judgments against several figures of the ousted regime, including the fugitive criminal Bashar al-Assad, Maher al-Assad, military and security leaders, and officials who held political and religious positions. The judgments were distributed between execution and life imprisonment, with some issued in presence against criminals Atef Najib, Waseem al-Assad, and Ahmad Hassoun, while absentia judgments were issued against the fugitive criminals.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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