Full story
Public trial begins in Damascus
Damascus, Syria’s Palace of Justice witnessed the first public session of the trial of Wassim Badie al-Assad, cousin of former President Bashar al-Assad, before the Fourth Criminal Court specializing in transitional justice on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.
“The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus began today, Wednesday, the first session of the trial of the defendant Wasim al-Assad, following charges of involvement in multiple crimes against the Syrian people during the era of the regime of the ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in the presence of the Republic's Attorney General Hassan al-Turba and representatives from national and international human rights organizations”
The trial is described as part of a judicial accountability process adopted by the Syrian state to enhance transparency and consolidate the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary, free from any discrimination.
The Syrian Ministry of Justice broadcast the first few minutes of the session via live stream before announcing its suspension to ensure the confidentiality of the Witness Protection Program and the safety of all participants in the case.
The charges include forming criminal groups by leading and forming combat groups affiliated with the Fourth Division in 2012 and overseeing their funding with weapons and money in coordination with Brigadier General Ghiath Dalla.
The case reached the public trial after Internal Security Forces arrested Wassim al-Assad on June 21, 2025, in a security operation ambushing him on the Syrian-Lebanese border.
Arrest framed as accountability
Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab said the arrest of Wassim Al-Assad is a step in the pursuit of the symbols of crime, and he vowed that the Ministry of Interior and the Syrian state would keep tracking down major symbols of violations against the Syrian people.
In a statement carried by SANA, Khattab said, "We will not relent in our efforts to track down the major symbols of violations against the Syrian people and subject them to fair trials guaranteeing the application of transitional justice."
Le Monde reported that the Syrian Interior Ministry announced Wassim Al-Assad’s arrest on Saturday, June 21, saying intelligence services and other authorities lured him into a carefully prepared ambush.
Le Monde also said SANA, citing an unidentified security source in the province of Homs, specified that Wassim Al-Assad had been arrested at the Syrian-Lebanese border, while an AFP security official said the arrest took place in the Tell Kalakh area in Homs province near the border.
Trial linked to drug trafficking
Al-Jazeera Net reported that the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus began the first session of Wassim al-Assad’s trial on Wednesday, with the presence of the Republic's Attorney General Hassan al-Turba and representatives from national and international human rights organizations.
“He did not hold major official positions within the former Syrian regime, but his reputation preceded him”
Al-Jazeera Net said the judge asked Wassim al-Assad about his previous occupation and he replied that he was a "merchant," a moment that drew attention on social media and prompted questions about what the suspect’s “trade” involved.
The same report quoted Justice Minister Madhhar Al-Wais commenting on the start of the first session, saying that authorities are "moving at a rapid pace toward establishing justice and accountability and restoring rights."
Al-Jazeera Net also described activists’ circulating comments that framed the “trade” as "trade in Captagon" and "the trade of militias to kill the Syrian people," while it linked Wassim al-Assad’s name internationally to drug trafficking networks, especially captagon.
The Ministry of Interior announcement cited by Al-Jazeera Net said Wassim al-Assad was arrested on June 21, 2025, at the Syrian-Lebanese border in a tightly coordinated security operation in cooperation with the General Intelligence Directorate.
