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Switzerland Indicts Rifaat Assad for War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity

The indictment marks a significant step in addressing atrocities committed over four decades ago in Syria.

FILE - In this Nov. 15, 2011, file photo, Rifaat Assad poses for a photographer in Paris. Swiss federal prosecutors say they have referred former Syrian Vice President Rifaat Assad, the uncle of the war-battered country's current president, for trial on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity for allegedly ordering murder and torture more than four decades ago. The attorney general's office said Tuesday, March 12, 2024, that Assad, 86, is accused of ordering the crimes in Syria in February 1982 while serving as commander of defense brigades that carried out an attack in the city of Hama during a conflict between the military and the Islamist opposition.

Overview

  • Swiss federal prosecutors have indicted Rifaat Assad, the uncle of Syria's current president, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
  • The charges relate to Assad's alleged role in ordering murder and torture during an attack in the city of Hama in February 1982.
  • Despite the indictment, Assad is unlikely to serve time in Switzerland due to his return to Syria after a conviction in France.
  • The case, brought under the principle of universal jurisdiction, highlights the ongoing impact of Assad's actions on victims and their families.
  • A trial in absentia is possible, reflecting Switzerland's commitment to pursuing justice for heinous crimes regardless of the defendant's presence.