A French court has issued arrest warrants for former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and seven senior officials from his deposed regime, accusing them of complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to the 2012 killing of two journalists in Homs, Syria.
Announced on Tuesday, the warrants represent a significant step in international efforts to hold Assad-era officials accountable for atrocities committed during Syria’s 14-year civil war.
According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the warrants follow a judicial investigation into the targeted bombing of an informal media centre in the Baba Amr district of Homs on 22 February 2012. The attack killed American war correspondent Marie Colvin, of The Sunday Times, and French photojournalist Rémi Ochlik. Three others — British photographer Paul Conroy, French journalist Edith Bouvier, and their Syrian interpreter Wael al-Omar — were wounded.
The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) described the bombing as part of a calculated strategy by the Assad regime to suppress foreign media coverage of its military operations during the conflict.
Among those named in the warrants are Maher al-Assad, the former President’s brother and commander of the Syrian Army’s elite Fourth Division; Ali Mamlouk, ex-head of general intelligence; Ali Ayoub, former chief of staff of the armed forces; Rafik Shahadah, a former senior security official in Homs; Mohamed Dib Zaitoun, ex-director of the general security directorate; and Ghassan Bilal, another high-ranking security officer.
French investigators reportedly uncovered evidence of a coordinated plan to target foreign journalists, formulated during a security meeting held by regime officials at the time, according to AFP.
A Legal Precedent
This is the third arrest warrant France has issued against Bashar al-Assad. In November 2023, a warrant was filed over his alleged role in the 2013 chemical attacks in Eastern Ghouta and Douma, which killed over 1,000 people. However, France’s highest court, the Cour de Cassation, annulled that warrant in July 2025 on the grounds that Assad enjoyed head-of-state immunity while in office.
The court clarified that fresh warrants could be issued now that Assad no longer holds official immunity, following his ousting in December 2024.
A second warrant was issued in January 2025 for Assad’s alleged complicity in a 2017 barrel bomb attack in Daraa, which killed a French-Syrian civilian. The latest warrants reflect France’s continued use of universal jurisdiction to pursue justice for international crimes committed in Syria. According to FIDH, French authorities have now issued 21 arrest warrants targeting senior Syrian officials, including three against Assad himself.
Legal and Political Ramifications
The Syrian civil war, sparked by the violent suppression of pro-democracy protests in 2011, has resulted in over 500,000 deaths and displaced millions, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Assad regime has faced widespread accusations of war crimes, including chemical weapons use and deliberate attacks on civilians and journalists.
The 2012 bombing in Baba Amr was seen as a pivotal moment, exposing the regime’s intent to silence media scrutiny.
French courts have played a leading role in the pursuit of justice, supported by Syrian activists and organisations such as the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM). SCM Director Mazen Darwish said the attack formed part of a broader strategy to “limit media coverage of the regime’s crimes and force journalists to leave Syria”.
FIDH welcomed the latest legal action as a “decisive step” towards a possible trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity on French soil.
Assad, believed to be residing in Russia following the collapse of his regime in late 2024, remains beyond the reach of French law enforcement. The whereabouts of the other seven officials named in the warrants are currently unknown. While a trial in absentia remains a legal possibility, human rights advocates hope the case will increase international pressure to pursue justice for Syrian victims.
A Broader Shift Towards Accountability
The warrants come amid renewed international attention on Syria in the wake of Assad’s downfall. In July 2025, France’s anti-terrorism prosecutors sought a new warrant against Assad, arguing that his loss of official recognition rendered his previous immunity void, according to Le Monde.
Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, recently travelled to Damascus for talks with Syria’s transitional authorities on potential cooperation in war crimes investigations — a move seen as a sign of increasing openness to international accountability mechanisms.
The French judiciary’s actions form part of a wider European trend towards legal redress. Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands have also initiated proceedings against Syrian regime officials and opposition figures accused of war crimes.
As Syria attempts to navigate its future after years of devastating conflict, these legal measures signal a growing international resolve to ensure that justice is served for the countless victims of the war.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
