Public trials are under way in Syria for cases related to last year’s deadly violence in the southern Sweida province, the scene of some of the worst clashes in the country since the downfall of Bashar Al Assad's regime in 2024.
Hatem Al Naasan, who leads Syria’s national committee investigating the events in Sweida, announced on Friday that the Military Criminal Court in Damascus started hearings on July 1. The accused and their legal representatives were present.
The proceedings aim to "establish the facts and hold accountable anyone proven responsible for any violations ... regardless of their position or the side to which the acts are attributed", he said in a statement.
Military prosecutors have started to refer several of those accused of involvement in the violence to an investigative judge, he added without giving a specific number.
“The publicity of trials and the guarantee of the right to defence represent two fundamental pillars in the path of justice,” Mr Al Naasan said. He added that public proceedings “reflect commitment to transparency and the rule of law and enhance confidence in judicial procedures".
Sweida, a predominantly Druze province, witnessed several days of clashes in July last year involving Bedouin fighters, Druze militias and government security forces. The unrest led to civilian deaths, kidnappings and property damage.
A committee formed by the Syrian government said it documented the killing of 1,760 people and 2,188 injuries “from all sides”. It added that “many human rights violations” were committed by local armed groups and people linked to ISIS, as well as members of government and security forces.
Widespread violence
In March, a UN investigation found that more than 1,700 people were killed and nearly 200,000 were displaced during a week of violence. Government forces, tribal fighters and Druze armed groups committed acts that may amount to war crimes, it said.
The 85-page report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria said at least 1,707 people were killed in the southern province, most of them Druze civilians, as well as members of the Bedouin community and at least 225 government personnel. Up to 155,000 people were displaced, the report added, describing a humanitarian situation that was unresolved months after a fragile ceasefire.
The UN commission said violations were committed by all main parties to the conflict.
The violence unfolded in three waves between July 14 and July 19, about seven months after rebels toppled the Assad regime. In the first phase of the clashes, members of government forces and allied fighters carried out killings, arbitrary arrests, torture, sexual violence and looting, primarily targeting the Druze population, the report said.
In the second wave, Druze armed groups committed violence against Bedouin communities, carrying out killings, torture and attacks on civilian and religious sites. Nearly all Bedouin were displaced from areas under their control.
During the third wave, tribal fighters advanced into Sweida, where they carried out looting and killings and burnt homes in dozens of villages. Nearly every house in 35 villages were reported damaged or destroyed, the UN said.
