Referral of 4 Prominent Officials from Assad Era for Investigation

The deputy announced the referral of 4 prominent officials from the Assad era for investigation by the Syrian judge, Hassan Tarba. Among them is the former mufti Ahmed Badr al-Din Hassoun, from the era of the former president, Bashar al-Assad.

In an official statement published on the Syrian Ministry of Justice's page on the "X" website on Thursday, he stated that the decision was made to initiate an investigation with them for committing crimes against the Syrian people.
He also added that this step comes within the framework of ongoing efforts to prosecute those who have committed crimes against the Syrian people, based on the application of transitional justice.

He confirmed that after the Ministry of Interior referred a number of files of those accused of committing these violations, they studied the evidence and documents presented, and based on that, the public prosecution was initiated.

He further explained that the four officials are: Atef Najib, Ahmed Badr al-Din Hassoun, Mohammad Shalaar, and Ibrahim al-Hweijeh, calling on all victims and their families, or anyone with testimonies or information about these violations, to submit what they have to be included in the investigation file.

He also urged human rights and humanitarian organizations concerned to provide any files and documents they have that could help reveal the truth.

It is worth mentioning that the Syrian authorities had arrested the former mufti of Syria, Ahmed Badr al-Din Hassoun, known as the "Mufti of Barrels," in March last year, due to his supportive positions of the brutal suppression with which the regime met the protests in 2011.

Syrian social media pages circulated a photo said to be of the former mufti blindfolded, just before his departure and escape abroad, following an arrest warrant issued by the public prosecutor at the Syrian Ministry of Justice.

In the same month, the Syrian Internal Security apparatus arrested the former head of General Intelligence Ibrahim Hweijeh, accused of carrying out assassinations during the era of the former president Hafez al-Assad.

As for Mohammad Shalaar, the former Syrian Interior Minister himself surrendered in February last year to the Syrian authorities.

In January, Syrian security forces arrested Bashar al-Assad's cousin and former head of the Political Security branch in the southern province, Atef Najib.

Syrians shared the news of the referral of the four officials for investigation through social media, affirming that such actions promise a better future, especially as it is the optimal way for transitional justice they dream of by holding all remnants of the former regime accountable, and prosecuting the criminals after investigating them and convicting them through legal means.