Syria: Transitional justice advancing under integrated legal and political framework

Syria’s Attorney General Hassan al-Turba said the country’s transitional justice effort is built on an integrated legal, human-rights and political framework and is proceeding normally and at pace under Syrian law. He told Alikhbaria that the Ministry of Justice is coordinating with the Interior Ministry, the National Commission for Transitional Justice and the National Commission for Missing Persons to investigate and prosecute those responsible for violations. Measures cited include arrest warrants in absentia, witness protection, and reliance on the 1950 Code of Criminal Procedure — a stepwise process from police records and public prosecution to investigating and referral judges before criminal courts.

Al-Turba acknowledged the scale and complexity of alleged crimes spanning roughly 14 years, noting thousands detained and many suspects still in hiding, which requires lengthy investigations and evidence gathering. He said the ministry is accelerating trials, has dismissed judges tied to the terrorism court or accused of aiding the former regime, and is pursuing fugitives through Interpol, international conventions and diplomatic channels while engaging with international mechanisms and foreign partners. He urged Syrians to seek justice through institutions rather than revenge and described accountability and criminal compensation as forms of redress, with other reparations to be provided by relevant institutions, as reported by SANA