A Paris court has upheld an arrest warrant for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, ruling that he can be investigated for alleged war crimes adn crimes against humanity committed in December 2024. This decision follows an investigation initiated in 2021 based on complaints filed by the Open society Justice Initiative (OSJI) and the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM).
French Investigation into Assad
The investigation centers on alleged crimes and crimes against humanity in Eastern Ghouta in 2013. in November 2023, a court had issued an arrest warrant for Assad. however,the French National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) had appealed this warrant,citing the principle of judicial immunity for heads of state before foreign courts.
On June 26, 2024, the Paris court of Appeal rejected PNAT’s appeal, thereby reinstating the arrest warrant against Assad. Assad, who is reportedly in Russia, has denied the accusations related to attacks in Syria.
