Poison gas attacks: French judiciary issues arrest warrant for Assad Greta Thunberg pleads not guilty in London court

More than ten years ago, the French judiciary issued an arrest warrant for Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in connection with poison gas attacks.

He will do it Complicity in crimes against humanity and war crimes in poison gas attacks near the Syrian capital Damascus accused, the German press agency in Paris learned from judicial circles on Wednesday. Two investigative judges also issued an arrest warrant in the case against Assad’s brother and commander of an elite unit of the Syrian Armed Forces, Maher al-Assad, as well as against the two officials Ghassam Abbas and Bassam al-Hassan.

In concrete terms, the investigation revolves around serious poison gas attacks in the Eastern Ghouta region near Damascus in August 2013. Hundreds of people were killed there in an attack with the nerve agent sarin. Human rights organizations speak of more than 1,000 deaths.

Assad’s government quickly agreed to destroy his chemical weapons, under international pressure. Nevertheless, numerous poison gas attacks later occurred, for which UN mediators blame the government.

In March 2021, several human rights organizations in France filed a criminal complaint over the Eastern Ghouta attacks, including the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression. Director Masen Darwisch praised the issuance of the arrest warrants as a legal precedent. “It is another victory for the victims, their families and survivors, and a step towards justice and lasting peace in Syria.”

(yam/sda/dpa)