Facts
In 2011, the Syrian regime brutally repressed opponents’ demonstrations, giving rise to the beginning of the present armed conflict. On 7 June 2017, the city of Deraa, and more particularly the neighborhood of Tareq al-Sad, was heavily bombed by the Syrian army. This attack, targeted against civil infrastructure, cost the life of Salah Abou Nabout, a French-Syrian national.
Procedure
In 2017, a complaint was filed before the Paris Tribunal by Omar Abou Nabout, on behalf of his father, Salah Abou Nabout. Since then, several legal expertises were conducted and multiple witnesses and experts were heard by the judges.
In 2020, the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression became a civil party in the case.
On 18 October 2023, the investigative judges of the French specialized unit for the prosecution of international crimes issued international arrest warrants against Fahed Jassem al-Fraij, Ali Abdallah Ayoub, Ahmad Balloul and Ali Safetli for complicity in the war crimes of deliberate attacks against civilians and murder of a person protected by international humanitarian law.
In March 2024, the investigative judges completed their investigation.
In May 2024, the prosecutor requested the reopening of the investigation and the issuance of two additional arrest warrants.
On 4 September 2024, the investigative judges issued two additional arrest warrants against al-Jourdi and Ibrahim al-Chaher, for complicity in the war crimes of deliberate attacks against civilians and murder of a person protected by international humanitarian law.
On 21 January 2025, following a request from the prosecutor, the investigative judges issued an arrest warrant against former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad for complicity in the war crimes of deliberate attacks against civilians and murder of a person protected by international humanitarian law.