Syria’s President’s Uncle to Face Trial for War Crimes – Swiss Court
QAMSHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Swiss Federal Court announced on Tuesday, that it will be trying Rifaat al-Assad, the uncle of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The indictment against Rifaat al-Assad is based on events that took place in February 1982 in the city of Hama during the armed conflict between Syrian armed forces and the Islamist opposition.
According to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) Rifaat al-Assad, who served as the former Syrian vice-president and a former Syrian army officer, is being prosecuted for his alleged involvement in ordering murders, acts of torture, cruel treatment, and illegal detentions.
The OAG specifically accuses him of commanding the Defence Brigades (Saraya al Difaa) and overseeing operations in Hama, where the brigades were the main forces responsible for repression in Syria.
The decision to prosecute Rifaat al-Assad was made in December 2013, following a report by the Swiss NGO TRIAL Internationa.
The criminal proceedings are based on universal jurisdiction, as war crimes do not have a statute of limitations. Rifaat al-Assad was present in Switzerland when the investigation was opened.
The trial date has not yet been set, but several victims have joined as plaintiffs in the case.
It is worth noting that Rifaat al-Assad returned to Syria in 2021 after many years in exile. The Swiss judiciary had issued a secret wanted notice in 2023 to prevent him from evading justice.