On Referring Bashar al-Assad to Justice
The Syrian Future Movement calls on the new Interim Transitional Government to prioritize submitting an official request through formal, international, and UN channels to bring the criminal Bashar al-Assad and his associates to trial in Syria (preferably) or at a neutral international criminal court.
The Syrian Future Movement urges the Syrian People’s Assembly and legal experts to take all necessary legal steps and consult international and Syrian experts to overcome complications, particularly since Russia is not a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and has unique policies regarding the extradition of wanted individuals.
The Syrian Future Movement proposes linking the review and evaluation of future relations with Russia to its decision to hand over all wanted individuals to justice. It recommends public negotiations to secure Assad’s extradition, as he is directly protected by the Russian president, employing all necessary diplomatic and political pressures.
The Syrian Future Movement advocates leveraging the laws of certain countries that apply the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows for the prosecution of individuals responsible for serious international crimes regardless of the crime’s location or the perpetrator’s nationality. Requests for extradition could be made through Interpol if Assad is prosecuted in one of these countries.
The Syrian Future Movement calls on the international community, including the United Nations, the United States, and the European Union, to exert pressure on Russia to hand over Bashar al-Assad due to his involvement in well-documented and proven crimes against humanity and war crimes.
The Syrian Future Movement appeals to Russia to extradite Bashar al-Assad, given its obligations under certain international treaties, such as the UN Convention Against Torture, which requires prosecuting or extraditing those accused of torture for trial.
The Syrian Future Movement stresses the importance of exhausting all legal avenues before international and national courts to issue judicial decisions demanding Assad’s extradition, thereby increasing legal pressure on Russia.
The Syrian Future Movement rejects a vengeful and emotional mindset, calling for the documentation of all accusations and the fair trial of all war criminals in Syria. This approach would demonstrate the success of the Syrian revolution in building the foundations of a national state and ensure a transparent and lawful historical record.
