Will Russia Hand Over Bashar al-Assad to the Syrian Judiciary?

SadaNews - The outlines of the transitional justice process in Syria are becoming clearer, with the announcement of new Syrian authorities pursuing symbols of the previous regime legally, particularly the ousted president Bashar al-Assad, amidst official confirmations of coordination with Interpol and attempts to secure Russian cooperation for his extradition to Damascus.

During the episode (2026/5/11) of the program "The Story Continues", Syrian Deputy Interior Minister Major General Abd al-Qadir al-Tahan stated that the trial of the former head of political security in Daraa, Atef Njeib, represents a "shift from conflict management to building a legal and institutional path for accountability", considering that this step carries political, legal, and symbolic implications for Syrians who suffered from the violations of the previous regime.

Al-Tahan clarified that transitional justice in Syria is not limited to the trial of one person or a group of individuals but is based on revealing the truth, accountability, reparations, and ensuring that violations do not recur, emphasizing that the authorities are working to pursue those involved in serious crimes against Syrians.

Regarding legal pursuits, the Syrian Deputy Interior Minister revealed that Damascus has initiated through Interpol international procedures to pursue a number of officials fleeing abroad, noting that Bashar al-Assad's name would top the wanted lists as he is the primary responsible for the crimes committed against the Syrian people.

Al-Tahan added that the Syrian state has requested Russia to hand over Bashar al-Assad but clarified that this request has not been fulfilled so far, marking the first official confirmation of direct attempts to obtain Russian cooperation on this file.

In Absentia Arrest Warrants

For his part, Syrian Attorney General Hassan al-Turba stated that the Syrian authorities issued in absentia arrest warrants against several symbols of the previous regime, and that they are working in coordination with Interpol and several countries to pursue the wanted individuals and hand them over to the Syrian judiciary.

Al-Turba confirmed that the Syrian Ministry of Justice relies on a comprehensive political, legal, and human rights system to prevent the perpetrators from escaping punishment, noting that measures including asset freezes, travel bans, providing protection for witnesses, and encouraging victims to file complaints have been taken.

In this context, Al-Tahan revealed that the Syrian Ministry of Interior was able, after the fall of the regime, to retain between 90 and 95% of the previous regime's archives, including documents and evidence, confirming the establishment of a special body within the ministry to preserve these files and use them in investigations and trials.

The Syrian official pointed out that the authorities do not rely solely on individual confessions but possess a vast quantity of documents incriminating security and military officials, explaining that investigations are ongoing with a number of detained officers accused of committing widespread violations during the war years.

Al-Tahan noted that the scale of crimes and violations committed over more than five decades of the Assad family's rule makes it difficult to set a clear timeline for achieving a transitional justice process, considering that the year 2030 "could represent a real beginning for national recovery and the reconstruction of the social contract in Syria" if the country succeeds in establishing a transparent legal and institutional path.

Source: Al Jazeera