Overview

• Majdi Nema, a former member of Jaysh al-Islam, is accused of complicity in war crimes, including child recruitment and forced disappearances, and could face up to 20 years in prison.
• The trial is being held under France's universal jurisdiction law, allowing prosecution of foreign nationals for crimes committed abroad.
• Nema, who defected from the Syrian army in 2012, claims he left Eastern Ghouta in mid-2013 to act as a spokesperson in Turkey and denies involvement in the alleged crimes.
• The case follows a 2024 default conviction of senior Syrian regime officials in France and highlights the complexity of atrocities committed by various actors during the Syrian conflict.
• The trial also raises questions about the legitimacy of such proceedings following the 2024 fall of the Assad regime and evolving ties between armed groups and Syria's interim government.