Atef Najib faces at least 10 charges in landmark Syria trial
Judge details 10 charges, including killing, torture and arbitrary detention, against former security official Atef Najib as Syria begins Assad-era trials.
- On Sunday, Atef Najib, the former head of political security in Daraa, appeared before the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus for his second trial session, facing at least 10 charges including murder, torture, and responsibility for massacres.
- Prosecutors allege Najib oversaw the violent crackdown on antigovernment protesters in Daraa during the 2011 uprising, which sparked Syria's 14-year civil war. Judge Fakhr al-Din al-Aryan stated the accusations relate to early 2011 events.
- Al Jazeera Mubasher reported 75 plaintiffs have filed cases against Najib and are expected to testify. The judge detailed "systematic acts that targeted civilians, including killing, torture and arbitrary detention."
- The proceedings mark the first effort to prosecute Assad-era officials in Syria. While Najib stands trial in person, former President Bashar Assad and his brother Maher remain in Russia, facing trial in absentia.
9 Articles
9 Articles
Second Public Trial Session Begins for Accused Atef Najib and Figures of the Deposed Regime
The second public session in the trial of accused Atef Najib and several figures of the deposed regime—led by fugitive Bashar Hafez al-Assad—began on Sunday, May 10. Atef Najib, the former head of the Political Security Branch in Daraa, appeared before the Fourth Criminal Court at the Palace of Justice in Damascus as judges entered the courtroom, amid tight security measures and notable media presence. Today’s session is dedicated to the interro…
Syria court charges former security official with acts amounting to
DAMASCUS: Syria’s judiciary brought charges on Sunday against former security official Atif Najib for acts amounting to “war crimes” in 2011 against peaceful protesters in Daraa province, the cradle of the country’s uprising. Najib was the former head of political security in the southern Syrian province and is accused of orchestrating a crackdown there. Washington sanctioned
Syria: Court charges Bashar Assad's cousin Atef Najib with war crimes amid 2011 uprising
Syria’s judiciary has charged Atef Najib with acts « amounting to war crimes » as Bashar Assad’s cousin is accused of orchestrating a crackdown on 2011 protests that subsequently degenerated into a decade of civil war. Source link : https://www.dw.com/en/syria-court-charges-bashar-assad-s-cousin-atef-najib-with-war-crimes-amid-2011-uprising/a-77111373?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf Author : Publish date : 2026-05-10 17:04:00 Copyright for syndicate…
Syria: Court charges Bashar Assad's cousin with war crimes
Syria's judiciary has charged Atef Najib with acts "amounting to war crimes" as Bashar Assad's cousin is accused of orchestrating a crackdown on 2011 protests that subsequently degenerated into a decade of civil war.
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