A series of new trials involving defendants accused of crimes against Syrians during the rule of former President Bashar al-Assad is set to begin this week, as authorities move to accelerate the country’s transitional justice process amid mounting public pressure for accountability. According to Radif Mustafa, director of the Accountability Department at the National Commission for Transitional Justice, proceedings opened on Monday with the trial of Abdul Nasser Barraq, a former security informant. Hearings are scheduled to continue Tuesday with the case of Atef Najib, while Wednesday will see the first session in the trial of Wassim al-Assad. On Thursday, proceedings are due to begin against former Grand Mufti Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, widely known among regime opponents as the “Mufti of the Barrel Bombs.” The trials come after days of demonstrations across several Syrian provinces, where protesters demanded accountability for former regime enforcers and collaborators, commonly referred to as “shabbiha”. What began as scattered protests has evolved into a sustained daily movement calling for faster implementation of transitional justice measures. The Syrian government has acknowledged the protesters’ “legitimate demands,” stressing that justice must be achieved through the rule of law rather than public anger. Interior Ministry spokesman Noureddine al-Baba said authorities remain committed to pursuing all individuals implicated in crimes committed under the former regime. Atef Najib, a brigadier general and former head of the Political Security Department in Daraa during Syria's ousted President Bashar al-Assad's rule, who is accused of committing war crimes, attends a trial session at the Palace of Justice, in Damascus, Syria, April 26, 2026. (Reuters) The Interior Ministry recently disclosed that nearly 3,700 former military personnel and regime loyalists have been detained by security forces. The announcement was presented as evidence of the government’s determination to continue pursuing suspects linked to past abuses. At a press conference last week, al-Baba said the ministry’s Counterterrorism Directorate was holding 5,989 detainees from various ranks associated with the former regime. Separately, the Ministry of Justice announced the creation of specialized judicial chambers dedicated to transitional justice cases in courthouses across Syria. The move follows a meeting in Damascus on Sunday between Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais and provincial attorneys general to discuss ways of accelerating legal proceedings against those accused of serious crimes. Under the new mechanism, complainants will file cases directly with designated public prosecutors. Investigating judges will gather evidence before cases are referred to criminal courts, a process intended to speed up proceedings and respond to public demands for accountability. Al-Wais said the ministry is preparing a broader package of reforms, including updates to judicial legislation, amendments to existing laws, the establishment of a unified national registry of violations under judicial supervision, and specialized training for investigators handling war-crimes cases in cooperation with international experts. The ministry also plans to strengthen coordination with the National Commission for Transitional Justice, the National Commission for Missing Persons, and civil society organizations.
