France decides on Bashar Assad's immunity in Syrian chemical attacks case

In late 2024, Bashar Assad, the exiled former leader of Syria, fled to Russia after a surprise assault by rebels overtook Aleppo and Damascus. Amidst ongoing civil conflict in Syria, France's highest court, the Cour de Cassation, is poised to make a crucial ruling regarding the potential stripping of Assad's state immunity. This decision stems from severe allegations against him, including the use of chemical weapons in Ghouta and Douma, both occurring during the protracted civil war that has resulted in over half a million deaths since its onset in 2011. Human rights activists, like Mazen Darwish of the Syrian Center for Media, assert that a ruling against Assad could represent a significant victory for victims of the regime and would set a critical precedent for prosecuting other leaders accused of atrocities. If the court lifts Assad's immunity, it may pave the way for his trial in absentia, allowing evidence of war crimes to be presented publicly for the first time. Moreover, this ruling could open up avenues for legal actions against other Syrian regime members who have sought refuge in various countries. There remains a significant hope among Syrian citizens that such legal moves could lead to a fair trial back home in Syria itself, but this would require guarantees for a just process, as voices from the Syrian populace long for accountability and justice after a decade of suffering under the Assad rule.