The first court session has opened in Damascus for the trial of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his brother Maher al-Assad, who are being tried in absentia alongside several senior figures from the former regime.
According to judicial sources, the proceedings mark the beginning of what is being described as Syria’s first attempt at “justice trials” following the regime’s collapse.
Among those appearing in person is former senior security official Atif Najib, a relative of Assad, who was brought into court in handcuffs after his arrest in January 2025.
Najib previously headed Political Security in Daraa, where he is widely accused of igniting the 2011 uprising through a harsh crackdown and mass arrests.