A French court has issued arrest warrants for seven former top Syrian officials, including former President Bashar al-Assad, for the bombing of a press center in Homs in 2012 that killed two journalists.
The warrants were issued in connection with the attack on February 22, 2012, which killed renowned US journalist Marie Colvin and French photographer Remi Ochlik, and injured two other journalists and an interpreter.
The Syrian Centre for Media and Free Expression said the French judicial investigation found that the attack deliberately targeted foreign journalists.
“The judicial investigation clearly established that the attack on the informal press center in Bab Amr was part of the Syrian regime’s explicit intention to target foreign journalists in order to limit media coverage of its crimes and force them to leave the city and the country,” said Mazen Darwish, a lawyer and the general director of the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression.
Besides al-Assad, warrants have also been issued against his brother Maher al-Assad, intelligence chief Ali Mamlouk, and then-army chief of staff Ali Ayoub, among others. France allows the filing of crimes against humanity cases in its courts, which enables this action against the Syrian officials.
Clemence Bectarte, lawyer for the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and Ochlik’s parents, welcomed the warrants, calling it “a decisive step that paves the way for a trial in France for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Bashar al-Assad’s regime.”
The journalists had entered the besieged city to document the crimes committed by Bashar al-Assad’s regime and were victims of a targeted bombing, according to FIDH.
Colvin, known for her fearless reporting and signature black eye patch, had her career celebrated in a Golden Globe-nominated film, A Private War.
Homs was a major rebel stronghold during the Syrian war and was besieged by al-Assad government forces from 2011 to 2014. The siege ended with rebel forces withdrawing from the city.
The French court’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for Bashar al-Assad marks a significant development in the pursuit of justice for victims of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The warrant demonstrates that even high-ranking officials can be held accountable for their actions, and it underscores the importance of international cooperation in pursuing justice.
The arrest warrant may have implications for Assad’s international relations, particularly with countries that have extradition agreements with France.
It remains to be seen how other countries will respond to the warrant and whether they will take steps to detain Assad if he travels abroad.
Human rights organizations have played a crucial role in pushing for justice in this case. The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression have been instrumental in documenting the crimes committed by the Syrian regime and advocating for accountability.
The investigation into the 2012 attack in Homs gathered extensive evidence, including testimony from witnesses and analysis of military communications. The evidence suggests that the attack was part of a systematic effort by the Syrian regime to target journalists and limit media coverage of its crimes.
The case against Assad and other Syrian officials is likely to continue in the French courts, with potential implications for future trials and convictions. The outcome of the case will be closely watched by human rights organizations and others who are advocating for accountability and justice for victims of war crimes and crimes against humanity.