Syrian Victims of Chemical Attacks File Case with French Prosecutors

A UN chemical weapons expert holds samples from one of the sites of a chemical weapons attack in the Ain Tarma neighborhood of Damascus in August, 2013. (Reuters)
A UN chemical weapons expert holds samples from one of the sites of a chemical weapons attack in the Ain Tarma neighborhood of Damascus in August, 2013. (Reuters)
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Syrian Victims of Chemical Attacks File Case with French Prosecutors

A UN chemical weapons expert holds samples from one of the sites of a chemical weapons attack in the Ain Tarma neighborhood of Damascus in August, 2013. (Reuters)
A UN chemical weapons expert holds samples from one of the sites of a chemical weapons attack in the Ain Tarma neighborhood of Damascus in August, 2013. (Reuters)

Lawyers representing survivors of a chemical weapons attack in 2013 in Syria have filed a criminal complaint against Syrian officials whom they blame for the deaths of hundreds of civilians in an opposition-held area.

France is home to thousands of Syrian refugees, and its investigating judges have a mandate to determine whether crimes against humanity were committed anywhere in the world.

The case, which about a dozen people have joined, follows a similar one opened in Germany last year. It offers a rare legal avenue for action against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

Attempts by Western powers to set up an international tribunal for Syria have been blocked by Russia and China at the UN Security Council.

"This is important so that the victims have the possibility to see those responsible being brought to justice and held accountable," Mazen Darwish, who heads the Paris-based Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM), told Reuters.

The SCM filed the complaint along with two other NGOs: the Open Society Foundation’s Justice Initiative and Syrian Archive.

France's intelligence services concluded in 2013 that a sarin gas attack on the Eastern Ghouta region just south east of Damascus that killed 1,400 people had been carried out by Syrian government forces.

The Syrian government denies it has used chemical weapons against its own civilians.

The complaint is based on what the lawyers say is the most comprehensive body of evidence on the use of substances such as sarin gas in Syria.

They include testimonies from survivors and defectors, an analysis of the Syrian military chain of command, and hundreds of items of documentary evidence, including photos and videos.

"We have compiled extensive evidence establishing exactly who is responsible for these attacks on Douma and Eastern Ghouta, whose horrific effects continue to impact survivors," said Hadi al Khatib, founder and director of Syrian Archive.

A UN-commissioned investigation to identify those behind chemical weapons attacks in Syria concluded in 2016 that Syrian government forces had used chlorine and sarin gas.

Darwish said he expected another case to be opened in Sweden in the coming months.



Jordan Moves to Ban Muslim Brotherhood as ‘Illegal’ Group

Jordanian government spokesman Mohammad Momani announces details of terrorist cell arrests in Amman. (Petra)
Jordanian government spokesman Mohammad Momani announces details of terrorist cell arrests in Amman. (Petra)
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Jordan Moves to Ban Muslim Brotherhood as ‘Illegal’ Group

Jordanian government spokesman Mohammad Momani announces details of terrorist cell arrests in Amman. (Petra)
Jordanian government spokesman Mohammad Momani announces details of terrorist cell arrests in Amman. (Petra)

As the fallout continues from Jordan’s recent security crackdown on a militant cell accused of manufacturing missiles and drones, officials remain tight-lipped about why a court-banned branch of the Muslim Brotherhood continues to operate freely.

The group, declared illegal by a final court ruling in 2020, has maintained its political activities with apparent impunity—a contradiction analysts say points to selective enforcement of the law.

While Jordanian authorities have detained extremists over what was described as a “chaos plot,” they have avoided confronting the unlicensed movement. The Brotherhood’s continued presence, despite Article 159 of the penal code criminalizing illegal associations with potential jail sentences, has puzzled observers.

Analysts say the government’s “soft containment” approach reflects a broader political culture in Amman that avoids clashes with groups enjoying popular support, even if that means ignoring binding court decisions.

Critics argue the state’s flexibility towards the Brotherhood undermines legal consistency and raises questions about the rule of law, especially as other groups face swift and public consequences.

Jordan’s government appears to have taken a markedly tougher stance following the recent exposure of the militant cell allegedly backed by foreign actors and accused of planning attacks with home-built missiles and drones targeting domestic sites—not under the pretext of “supporting the resistance in Gaza”.

The discovery of the plot has prompted a reassessment within the country’s decision-making circles, which are now closely watching for verdicts from the State Security Court—the judicial body with jurisdiction over terrorism and national security cases.

While authorities have clamped down on the immediate threat, they have stopped short of confronting the unlicensed Muslim Brotherhood group and its political wing, the Islamic Action Front.

Analysts say officials are treading cautiously, wary of provoking parliamentary unrest or street mobilizations that the faction could spearhead if directly challenged.

The government’s current posture suggests a strategic pause—one that balances national security concerns with the potential political fallout of taking on a well-rooted opposition force.

Jordanian decision-makers, however, are stepping up preparations on multiple fronts as the country braces for a possible legal showdown with the Brotherhood.

Authorities are weighing the implications of formally designating the Brotherhood as an unlicensed entity, a move that would entail shutting down its activities, seizing its assets and properties, and treating any political statements or public events linked to its members as violations subject to prosecution under the penal code and counterterrorism laws.

Behind the scenes, government institutions are working to draw a legal and operational distinction between the Brotherhood and the Islamic Action Front, which remains registered under the country’s political parties law.

This delicate balancing act hinges on upcoming hearings at the State Security Court, expected to begin next week. However, officials fear that any legal escalation could spark backlash, including street protests or social media campaigns led by the Islamic Action Front.

Analysts say such a scenario could force authorities to take more decisive measures, including dissolving the party itself, in a bid to dismantle what critics view as a monopolized Islamist platform and reassert control over religious political representation in the kingdom.