Although a Syrian court sentenced former dictator Bashar al-Assad to death for crimes committed against his own people, for countless Syrian citizens living with the scars of a 14-year civil war, this verdict does not seem sufficient. Despite this symbolic ruling by the court, victims are demanding an effective and comprehensive transitional justice process that will ensure true justice, not merely be confined to paper. Assad's exiled life in Russia and the existing uncertainty regarding punitive measures against him are the main reasons for this dissatisfaction.
Huda Khayti, a Syrian women's rights activist who constantly struggles with the horrific memories of the war, is a vivid example of this dissatisfaction. Although she herself survived a chemical attack by Bashar al-Assad's forces in the Eastern Ghouta region in 2013, she lost her brother in the same attack. Her women's center and her home were completely destroyed by the Assad regime and its allies' bombings. In 2018, she was forced to leave Douma, one of Ghouta's main cities, and seek refuge in Idlib, a rebel stronghold in northern Syria.
Even today, Khayti often returns to Douma, located about 10 kilometers northeast of the capital, Damascus. Since the fall of the Assad government in late 2024, Khayti has regularly traveled between Idlib and Douma and is working to open a new women's center in Douma. In an interview with DW, she said, “Ghouta means a lot to me emotionally.” But each time she returns to Douma, she is confronted with the ruins of the civil war. She states, “When I travel through the country, I see signs of war everywhere, so many homes and infrastructure destroyed. So much suffering, so much psychological trauma.”
Nearly two years after the fall of the Assad regime, the Syrian government has initiated a process to investigate the crimes of the rule through the courts. In mid-August, a Damascus court sentenced Bashar al-Assad and other high-ranking members of his regime to death in absentia. Assad fled to Russia after the collapse of his government and currently resides there. Many senior officials of his government are also in hiding there or elsewhere.
The court found Assad guilty of crimes such as premeditated murder, torture, and deprivation of individual liberty. The court stated that these were war crimes and crimes against humanity. Regarding this verdict, Huda Khayti said, “Of course, Assad's conviction is good news. Even if it is only on paper. Bashar al-Assad may have been convicted, but he is continuing his life in Russia—just like many other Syrian criminals who have fled to Russia.”
However, this court ruling had a significant impact within Syria. Lina Shaouf, a Syrian journalist, media expert, and researcher at Harvard University's Center for Middle Eastern Studies, said, “People were very happy on the day of the verdict, and its echoes were widely heard. Many media outlets celebrated this verdict as a victory and considered it part of transitional justice.” Nevertheless, it is still unclear whether any actual punishment will be enforced after this ruling. Although Russia and Syria agreed to an extradition treaty in 2023, observers say it is highly unlikely that Russia will send its long-time ally Assad back to Syria. Furthermore, according to the terms of the agreement, extradition may not occur if there is a possibility of a death sentence.
Last August, Syria's Deputy Justice Minister, Mustafa al-Qasem, announced that the country had formed a commission for cooperation with Interpol and that cooperation with other countries in extraditing fugitive suspects would expedite the legal process. However, questions remain about how effective such statements will be in Assad's case. After 14 years of civil war horrors, the displacement of millions, countless deaths, and widespread destruction of the country, Syrians are demanding not just a symbolic verdict, but real accountability for criminals and justice and compensation for victims. To heal these long-standing wounds, much more ground needs to be covered, where not only legal processes are sufficient, but a comprehensive social and political reconstruction is also essential.
