Investigating Judge Tawfiq al-Ali in Damascus said an arrest warrant in absentia has been issued for former president Bashar al-Assad on charges tied to the 2011 Daraa crackdown, including premeditated murder, torture leading to death, and unlawful deprivation of liberty, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency SANA.
The decision, prompted by a lawsuit from families of victims over incidents dated Nov. 23, 2011, allows authorities to seek circulation of the warrant through Interpol.
Assad ruled Syria from 2000 until his ouster in December 2024 and later fled to Russia. He was deposed by a rebel alliance, and Ahmed al-Sharaa now serves as Syria’s president.
What’s next: Officials did not provide a timetable for requesting notice circulation through Interpol or for further court action.
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