The first trial in France of officials of the Syrian regime under Bashar al-Assad is set to commence, with three top security officers to be tried in absentia for complicity in crimes against humanity and war crimes.
The Paris Criminal Court will try the officials for their involvement in the deaths of Mazzen Dabbagh and his son Patrick, French-Syrian men arrested in Damascus in 2013.
Trials concerning the Syrian regime’s atrocities have taken place in other European countries, but this marks the first time high-ranking officials are on trial for such crimes since the start of the Syrian revolution in 2011.
The conflict between the Assad regime and opposition groups began in 2011, resulting in over half a million deaths, mass displacement, and severe damage to Syria’s economy and infrastructure.
The trial will focus on allegations of torture and abuse at the Mezzeh prison, emphasizing the ongoing need for accountability and justice in the face of such atrocities.