French judges have convicted three senior Syrian officials for their roles in the imprisonment, enforced disappearance, and torture of dual Syrian-French citizens Patrick Dabbagh and his father, Mazzen, in 2013. The officials, Ali Mamlouk, Jamil Hassan, and Abdel Salam Mahmoud, were found guilty of crimes against humanity and war crimes.
General Ali Mamlouk, a powerful Syrian security officer, and high-ranking aide to President Bashar al Assad, was one of the convicted officials. The trial, held in absentia at the Paris Criminal Court, highlighted severe human rights abuses committed by the Syrian government. Despite their absence, the accused have the right to a fair retrial upon their apprehension.
French Justice Orders the Trial of Ali Mamlouk, Jamil Hassan and Abdel Salam Mahmoud
On May 21, 2024, victims’ and families’ associations gathered outside the Paris Criminal Court to seek justice for their detained or disappeared loved ones in Syria. The trial examined compelling evidence, including the Caesar photographs depicting widespread torture and abuse in Syrian government facilities.
The trial, supported by human rights organizations and survivors, serves as a reminder to the Assad government that international scrutiny of its abuses will continue. The ongoing saga of the Dabbagh family highlights the need for accountability and justice for the countless individuals who have vanished in Syria.