The first public trial in Syria of officials linked to the regime of former President Bashar Assad, including his cousin Atef Najib, opened before the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus on Sunday, al-Ikhbariya television reported.
The outlet broadcast video footage showing Najib in the defendant's cage, after he had been brought to the court in the Syrian capital.
"The first trials of transitional justice in Syria include a detainee (Atef Najib) and defendants who are fugitives from justice," the channel quoted an unnamed judge in the court as saying.
Among those fugitives were Assad, his brother and commander of the notorious Fourth Division Maher Assad, former Defense Minister Fahd Jassem al-Freij, former military intelligence chief in Daraa Laith al-Ali, and former military intelligence chief in Suwayda province Wafiq Nasser.
The judge announced the adjournment of the session until May 10.
