Published : 26-12-2025
Fayez Abu Eid - Action Group
Given the scale of the grave violations witnessed in Syria from 2011 until the fall of the fugitive Assad regime, the principle of universal jurisdiction emerged as one of the most important legal avenues available to victims and their families to demand accountability, at a time when national justice remained absent or unable to fulfill its role.
This principle, which allows states to prosecute perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity regardless of where the crime was committed or the nationality of the victims and perpetrators, constituted a crucial legal avenue for pursuing former officials of the Syrian regime and its allies.
According to human rights documentation, the number of those killed and forcibly disappeared in Syria has exceeded 200,000 since 2011, while statistics from the Action Group for Palestinians of Syria indicate that more than 6,000 Palestinians have been killed in Syria, and more than 7,300 have been detained or forcibly disappeared, the fate of the majority of whom remains unknown to this day. These figures not only reflect the scale of the crimes but also confirm the systematic nature of the violations that affected both Syrians and Palestinians.
In this context, European courts, particularly in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and France, have held trials based on universal jurisdiction, resulting in at least 17 verdicts in Germany alone. These trials involved the prosecution of approximately 45 defendants, including security officers and members of militias loyal to the former regime, of Syrian, Iranian, and Iraqi nationalities.
On October 22, 2025, the Higher Regional Court in Koblenz, Germany, announced the commencement of the trial of five inpiduals, including four Palestinians and one Syrian, on serious charges related to the murder and attempted murder of civilians, as well as torture.
Despite the political and security challenges surrounding transitional justice in Syria, the rulings issued by European courts have established important legal precedents that can contribute to undermining the culture of impunity.
Fayez Abu Eid - Action Group
Given the scale of the grave violations witnessed in Syria from 2011 until the fall of the fugitive Assad regime, the principle of universal jurisdiction emerged as one of the most important legal avenues available to victims and their families to demand accountability, at a time when national justice remained absent or unable to fulfill its role.
This principle, which allows states to prosecute perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity regardless of where the crime was committed or the nationality of the victims and perpetrators, constituted a crucial legal avenue for pursuing former officials of the Syrian regime and its allies.
According to human rights documentation, the number of those killed and forcibly disappeared in Syria has exceeded 200,000 since 2011, while statistics from the Action Group for Palestinians of Syria indicate that more than 6,000 Palestinians have been killed in Syria, and more than 7,300 have been detained or forcibly disappeared, the fate of the majority of whom remains unknown to this day. These figures not only reflect the scale of the crimes but also confirm the systematic nature of the violations that affected both Syrians and Palestinians.
In this context, European courts, particularly in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and France, have held trials based on universal jurisdiction, resulting in at least 17 verdicts in Germany alone. These trials involved the prosecution of approximately 45 defendants, including security officers and members of militias loyal to the former regime, of Syrian, Iranian, and Iraqi nationalities.
On October 22, 2025, the Higher Regional Court in Koblenz, Germany, announced the commencement of the trial of five inpiduals, including four Palestinians and one Syrian, on serious charges related to the murder and attempted murder of civilians, as well as torture.
Despite the political and security challenges surrounding transitional justice in Syria, the rulings issued by European courts have established important legal precedents that can contribute to undermining the culture of impunity.
