Syria: Second Session of Public Trials for Those Accused of Committing Violations During Coastal Events

SadaNews - The second session of the public trial of those accused of committing violations during the coastal events that took place on March 6th of last year was held today, Thursday, at the Courthouse in Aleppo, according to the SANA news agency.

Judge Jumaa Al-Anzi, head of the National Independent Commission for Inquiry and Fact-Finding on the coastal events, confirmed that the Syrian government is serious about adopting open public trials as a consistent approach to break the cycle of violence and impunity, promote the principle of transparency, protect the rights of the accused from both sides, and enhance community oversight of the judiciary.

He revealed in a post on the "X" platform yesterday that human rights organizations, both international and civil, will attend the trials, adding that millions of Syrians are awaiting the wider launch of the transitional justice process beyond its current scope.

He stated that the magnitude of the file "requires a lot of work and preparation to hold thousands of criminals accountable from the era of the ousted regime."

The first session was held on November 18th of last year, with 14 defendants from elements of the former regime and current governmental forces representing the case, in a step described as unprecedented in achieving justice.

The accused are being tried on charges including inciting sectarian strife, theft, and assaulting internal security forces and the Syrian army.

In March, bloody events unfolded in the coastal regions of Syria over several days, with armed individuals loyal to the previous regime launching attacks on security forces.

Subsequently, government forces regained control of the area after a wide-scale operation that involved violations and killings of civilians, looting, and burning of property committed by armed individuals not affiliated with the government, according to authorities.

On July 22nd, the National Commission for Inquiry issued a report stating that on March 6th, remnants of the ousted regime executed extensive hostile operations targeting army and security headquarters, resulting in the deaths of 238 young members of the security and army forces in the provinces of Latakia, Tartus, and Hama.

The new Syrian administration is working to stabilize security conditions in the country and pursue remnants of Bashar al-Assad's regime (2000-2024) who are stirring up security disturbances.

On December 8, 2024, Syrian rebels were able to enter Damascus, announcing the overthrow of the regime of Bashar, who inherited power from his father, Hafez (1971-2000).

On March 9th, the presidency announced the formation of the National Independent Committee for Investigation, and on April 10th, President Ahmad Al-Shara issued a decision to extend the committee's work for an additional three months, non-renewable.

Source: Agencies