Investigations in France and Germany could lead to prosecutions of President Bashar al-Assad and members of his upper echelon over one of the Syrian war’s signature atrocities.
Tag: Assad, Bashar al-
What Is Universal Jurisdiction?
Universal jurisdiction, the idea that any nation’s courts can try people for atrocities committed anywhere, has gained as a tool of human rights lawyers battling impunity.
German Court Convicts Former Syrian Official of Crimes Against Humanity
Eyad al-Gharib, a former secret police officer, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison in a case that rights groups have hailed as a landmark.
Your Wednesday Briefing
Syria’s economy in distress.
Having Won Syria’s War, al-Assad Is Mired in Economic Woes
After a decade of war, the biggest threat now to President Bashar al-Assad is an economic crisis. But at a recent meeting, he had no concrete solutions to his country’s extreme distress.
Israel Secretly Agrees to Fund Vaccines for Syria as Part of Prisoner Swap
To secure the release of an Israeli civilian held in Syria, Israel agreed to finance a supply of Russian-made Covid-19 vaccines for Damascus, an official said.
Turkish Forces in Syria Protect 5 Million People
Turkey was widely criticized when it sent forces into Syria, but today its soldiers stand between millions of Syrians and potential slaughter at the hands of President Bashar al-Assad’s forces.
A Decade After the Arab Spring, Autocrats Still Rule the Mideast
The popular uprisings of 2011 mostly failed, but they gave the region a taste for democracy that continues to whet an appetite for change.
Casualties From Banned Cluster Bombs Nearly Doubled in 2019, Mostly in Syria
The war in Syria, which began almost a decade ago, makes it the only country where the outlawed bombs have been repeatedly used since 2012.
Syria Seeks Return of Refugees, but They Fear Leader’s Wrath
President Bashar al-Assad said the millions of citizens who fled during the war have been blocked from coming back. But he left out the main reason they are staying away: Mr. al-Assad himself.