In 2018, death certificates finally confirmed the fate of missing French-Syrian father and son, Mazen and Patrick Dabbagh, who were taken away by Syrian soldiers five years earlier. A Paris court is now holding hearings to investigate whether Syrian intelligence officials were responsible for their disappearance and deaths. The trial is expected to shed light on the allegations of widespread torture and arbitrary detentions used by the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad during the country’s civil war, which has been ongoing for 14 years.
The accused in the trial include high-ranking Syrian officials such as Ali Mamlouk, former head of the National Security Bureau, and Jamil Hassan, former Air Force intelligence director, among others. They are being charged with crimes against humanity, including arrest, torture, and killing of the father and son. The accused are being tried in absentia, as there is little likelihood of their extradition to France. The trial aims to bring attention back to the alleged atrocities committed by the Assad government and hold those responsible accountable.
The trial is taking place in France because Mazen and Patrick Dabbagh had dual French-Syrian nationality, allowing French magistrates to pursue the case. Obeida Dabbagh, Mazen’s brother, testified to investigators in France about their disappearance, which led to the probe starting in 2015. The surviving family members and witnesses provided evidence of the events that unfolded, including the disappearance of the Dabbagh father and son. The trial is expected to expose the systematic use of torture and human rights violations during the conflict.
In a separate investigation in France, President Bashar Assad himself is being targeted regarding chemical weapons attacks that killed over 1,000 people in 2013. French magistrates issued international arrest warrants for Assad and other high-ranking officials for complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity. The French court is now determining whether Assad has absolute immunity as the head of state, which could impact the ongoing investigation. The warrants against Assad and his associates were seen as a significant move against his regime amidst a push for international recognition.
Other countries are also taking action against Syrian officials for alleged war crimes and human rights violations. In Switzerland, Rifat Assad, the president’s uncle and former vice president, has been indicted for ordering murder and torture more than four decades ago. A court in Stockholm has put a former Syrian army general on trial for his involvement in war crimes in 2012. Courts in Germany have also convicted former Syrian soldiers of crimes against humanity under the principle of universal jurisdiction. These legal actions signal a global effort to hold accountable those responsible for crimes committed during the Syrian conflict.
The French trial against Syrian intelligence officials is significant in shedding light on the widespread use of torture and arbitrary detentions by the Assad government. The case of the Dabbagh father and son exemplifies the human rights abuses that have occurred throughout the conflict in Syria. The legal actions taken by various countries, including France, Switzerland, Sweden, and Germany, show a united front against impunity for those responsible for war crimes and human rights violations in Syria. The trials serve as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for justice and accountability in the face of conflict and repression.
