A Syrian court has held its first hearing in the trial of ousted president Bashar al-Assad and senior members of his government, with one defendant appearing in person—while others remain at large.

The judge opened the session by declaring the start of Syria’s “first trials of transitional justice,” noting that the proceedings both include  defendants in custody and others who have fled. Assad and his brother Maher, who escaped Syria after the collapse of the regime in December 2024, will be tried in absentia.

In court on Sunday, April 26th was Atef Najib, a relative of Assad and former security chief in Daraa, where the 2011 uprising began. Arrested in January 2025, Najib is accused of overseeing a wide campaign of repression, including mass arrests and crackdowns on protesters. He was not questioned during the initial session, which focused on procedural matters. A second hearing is scheduled for May 10th.

A judicial source said future in-person trials are expected to include other senior figures, among them Wassim al-Assad and former grand mufti Ahmed Badreddin Hassoun, as well as military and security officials detained in recent months.

The proceedings come after Assad fled to Moscow as Islamist-led forces advanced on Damascus, bringing an end to more than five decades of his family’s rule. The trials are seen as a key step in addressing abuses committed during the long-running conflict.

Syria’s controversial new leadership faces major challenges as it seeks to stabilise the country after years of war, with economic hardship, fragmented security structures, and (well-deserved) limited international recognition all complicating efforts to consolidate power.

Ahmad al-Sharaa, a ‘former’ jihadist who led Islamist rebel forces that toppled Bashar al-Assad, came to power in December 2025. He has since travelled to the United States and France, in visits that have coincided with the partial easing of international sanctions on Syria. Last month, he signed a new constitution intended to guide a five-year transitional period.