Damascus, Syria – The Palace of Justice in Damascus witnessed a historic judicial event on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, with the commencement of the first public session of the trial of Wassim Badie al-Assad, cousin of former President Bashar al-Assad, before the Fourth Criminal Court specializing in transitional justice. This trial comes within the framework of the judicial accountability process adopted by the Syrian state to enhance the principle of transparency. It also aims to consolidate the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary, free from any discrimination. This follows a series of trials targeting figures of the former regime, after the trial of Atef Najib, which began last April.
Details of the session and the charges
وقد باشر قاضي محكمة الجنايات الرابعة وممثل النيابة العامة توجيه لائحة الاتهام الرسمية للمتهم. وتضمن استجواب قاضي التحقيق السابع، “توفيق العلي”، مواجهة المتهم بسلسلة من الجرائم الخطيرة التي ارتكبت في حق الشعب السوري، وأبرزها:
Forming criminal groups: Leading and forming combat groups affiliated with the Fourth Division in 2012, and overseeing their funding with weapons and money. This was done in coordination with Brigadier General Ghiath Dalla of the former regime’s army.
Murder and intimidation crimes: His involvement in intimidation and terror crimes, and causing the killing of civilians in the Jaramana area in 2012. In addition, he armed auxiliary militias in the Mleiha area.
Corruption and drug cases: The charges included the practice of bribing and transferring soldiers. They also included establishing close ties with drug kingpins, most notably the Lebanese national Noah Zaatar, who was accused of manufacturing and distributing Captagon.
trial proceedings
The Syrian Ministry of Justice broadcast the first few minutes of the session via live stream before announcing its suspension to ensure the confidentiality of the Witness Protection Program and the safety of all participants in the case. It is worth noting that the Internal Security Forces arrested Wassim al-Assad on June 21, 2025, in a well-executed security operation that ambushed him on the Syrian-Lebanese border. He was then referred to the investigating judge and subsequently to the referral judge in December 2025. The case has now reached this public trial, which is expected to include the hearing of prosecution witnesses and the presentation of evidence documenting the violations committed during his time working within the former regime.
