The highly charged scenes in a Damascus court on Sunday, as the first official of the former Assad regime went on trial, were a stark reminder of the clamour for justice among the families of its countless victims. While some say it is a start, it has also raised concerns over the will of Syria's new authorities to bring the many perpetrators to account.
"People want to hang Atef Najib!" the crowd chanted inside the Palace of Justice, where the former head of the Political Security intelligence agency in the southern city of Deraa faced charges of "crimes against the Syrian nation".
There were also shouts of "Signs of victory have arrived from Houran", a slogan sung during the uprising, referring to the region surrounding Deraa, where anti-government protests began in 2011 before spiralling into a civil war.
Families of the victims of the regime of ousted President Bashar al-Assad gathered in the courtroom, waiting for Najib - Assad's first cousin - to be brought before the judges. This was the first trial in a court specially designed for such cases.
One mother sat on a bench quietly, tears rolling down her face, as others around her chanted "death and no humiliation", another slogan used during the uprising, and "Syria for us and not for the Assad regime". Another woman behind her wiped tears from her own face.
