France begins its first war crimes trial of Syrian officials

FRANCE 24 English

Visit our website: http://www.france24.com  Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FRANCE24.English  Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/France24_en

Transcript

00:00 The first ever trial here in France into the crimes of Bashar al-Assad's regime is opening here in Paris today.

00:07 Three high-ranking Syrian officials suspected of having played a role in the deaths of two French Syrians

00:13 are being tried in absentia for complicity in crimes against humanity.

00:18 All three are the targets of international death warrants.

00:21 Well, let's cross then straight to the court.

00:23 We're going to talk to our senior reporter James Andre, who joins us from there.

00:27 James, tell us first of all then who are these men and exactly what they're accused of, can you?

00:33 Yes, absolutely. These three men are high-ranking officials within the Syrian security apparatus under Bashar al-Assad.

00:44 The first one, his name is Ali Mamluk.

00:46 Now, he was the head of the National Security Bureau in charge of all intelligence services across the country.

00:54 The second is Jamil Hassan.

00:56 Now, he was the head of Air Force Intelligence.

00:58 And the third is Salam Mahmoud.

01:01 He is the head of the Investigations Bureau of the Syrian Air Force Intelligence Service.

01:08 Now, these three men are being tried here in absentia for the arrest, subsequent torture and death of two men,

01:18 Mazen Sabag and Patrick Abdelkader Sabag, two Franco-Syrians who were arrested in November 2013

01:26 and taken to Medzir Airport, a place that became infamous for being a place of detention and torture of opponents to Bashar al-Assad's regime.

01:36 And there, well, they simply disappeared.

01:39 And, well, death certificates were given to their families in the years following.

01:44 Nobody ever had any more news about them.

01:46 But, indeed, there is documentation.

01:48 There are witnesses to what happened.

01:50 And this is what's going to be tried here.

01:52 Subsequently to their disparition, well, the regime or the officials in question confiscated the family's home,

01:59 kicking out Mazen's wife and his daughter, and, indeed, took the property.

02:05 So these are the reasons why these men are tried here.

02:07 And, as you said, yes, they are tried for complicity in crimes against humanity and complicity in war crimes.

02:13 James, as we said, they're all being tried in absentia.

02:16 Do we know exactly where they are?

02:18 And, in theory, could they actually face some consequences because of this?

02:22 Now, no, we do not know where they are.

02:27 They're, indeed, tried in absentia.

02:29 But, yes, there will be consequences, simply because, first of all, well, if, indeed, they are condemned,

02:34 then there will be an international arrest warrant with Interpol.

02:37 So that means that will impair their capacity to travel in various countries across the world.

02:42 It means that they will be arrested if they set foot on the soil of very various countries.

02:46 Also, it is a strong signal when it comes to the political situation of Syria

02:53 at a time where many countries are normalizing with Bashar al-Assad's regime in the wake of what happened in the Syrian war.

02:59 Well, this goes to show that, indeed, those who committed crimes and atrocities

03:04 will still be prosecuted and, indeed, investigated.

03:07 So this is very much the signal that is being sent here.

03:10 So no impunity when it comes to crimes against humanity and crimes that took place during the Syrian war.

03:17 And, of course, if they were to be arrested, they would be arrested.

03:22 But, also, well, there would be a new trial that would define what actual present times or sentences could be handed down to them.

03:30 James, thanks so much. James Andretti.

Category

Transcript

Recommended