The Syrian Future Movement welcomes the news of the arrest by Syrian Internal Security Forces of Amjad Youssef, the prime suspect in the 2013 Tadamon neighborhood massacre in Damascus. This arrest took place in a well-executed security operation in the Sahl al-Ghab area of Hama countryside on Friday, April 24, 2026. We consider this a day of justice in Syrian history, and a pivotal step towards achieving justice for the families of the victims who perished in one of the most heinous crimes, documented by the perpetrators themselves.
The Syrian Future Movement commends this security and judicial achievement, which embodies the new state’s determination to pursue the remnants of the former regime and all those involved in human rights violations and crimes committed against the Syrian people. The arrest of a criminal of Amjad Youssef’s stature proves that justice, though delayed, will inevitably prevail, and that the blood of the martyrs has not been, and will not be, shed in vain, until we reach the top of the pyramid, Bashar al-Assad and his senior leadership.
The Syrian Future Movement recalls that the Tadamon massacre, committed on April 16, 2013, is one of the most heinous crimes documented during the years of the Syrian revolution. A leaked video showed armed men affiliated with the former Syrian regime killing dozens of blindfolded civilians and throwing them into pits filled with tires before setting their bodies on fire.
With this significant development, the Syrian Future Movement reiterates the necessity for this case, and other cases of grave violations, to conclude with fair, transparent, and impartial trials, in accordance with the highest international standards of justice. We also emphasize that achieving transitional justice requires the prosecution of all those involved in committing crimes against the Syrian people, including the highest-ranking officials officially implicated in these crimes.
Our Syrian people deserve public trials that reveal the extent of the crimes committed against them and expose all those involved, from the lowest to the highest ranks, without selectivity or impunity. We believe that this case represents a true test of the new judicial authorities’ seriousness in addressing past crimes.
The Syrian Future Movement extends its thanks and appreciation to the Syrian Ministry of Interior and the Internal Security Forces who carried out the security operation that resulted in the arrest of this criminal. This operation followed meticulous surveillance and tracking that lasted for several days, demonstrating the high level of professionalism of the security services in executing their duties despite the perpetrators’ attempts to conceal themselves.
We also commend the Ministry’s statement declaring its intention to “pursue the remaining perpetrators of the massacre, arrest them, and bring them to justice.” This confirms that the files of grave violations are a priority for the new state, and that those who commit crimes against Syrians are no longer immune from punishment.
The Syrian Future Movement remembers with pride and reverence the souls of the martyrs of the Tadamon massacre and all the martyrs of the Syrian revolution who fell at the hands of the criminals of the defunct Assad regime. We ask God to have mercy on them, grant them paradise, and give their families patience and solace.
The Syrian Future Movement calls for:
- Accelerating the transitional justice process and not being satisfied with arresting only the “small fry,” but rather prosecuting all those involved in war crimes and crimes against humanity, regardless of their positions in the former regime.
- Establishing a specialized criminal court with national and international credibility to handle cases of grave violations, ensuring fair trials that satisfy the consciences of the victims and their families.
- Ensuring complete transparency in upcoming trial proceedings and providing media outlets and human rights organizations with the opportunity to monitor the course of justice.
In conclusion, while the Syrian Future Movement appreciates this significant step on the path to justice, it reminds everyone that the road ahead is still long, and that achieving full transitional justice is the only way to build a new Syria on the foundations of freedom, dignity, and the rule of law—the very goal for which our great Syrian people struggled and sacrificed their most precious possessions.
