PARIS: France’s highest court Friday annulled a French arrest warrant against Syria’s ex-president Bashar Assad — issued before his ouster — over 2013 deadly chemical attacks. The Court of Cassation ruled there were no exceptions to presidential immunity, even for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. But its presiding judge, Christophe Soulard, added that, as Assad was no longer president after an Islamist-led group toppled him in December, “new arrest warrants can have been, or can be, issued against him” and as such the investigation into the case could continue.

The ruling might set a precedent to allow prosecution of other government leaders linked to atrocities.

En novembre 2023, deux juges d’instruction parisiennes spécialisées avaient émis un mandat d’arrêt pour complicité de crimes contre l’humanité et de crimes de guerre contre le…

France’s highest court on Friday ruled that Syria’s ousted leader Bashar Assad had head of state immunity while he was in office and couldn’t be...

Judges rule document invalid as former Syrian leader had immunity as head of state

PARIS: France’s highest court Friday annulled a French arrest warrant against Syria’s ex-president Bashar Assad — issued before his ouster — over 2013 deadly chemical attacks. The…

La plus haute juridiction française a annulé un mandat d’arrêt visant l’ancien président syrien délivré en 2023. Elle estime en revanche qu’il peut désormais être poursuivi,…

France's highest court upholds Assad's immunity but allows for future war crime warrants, sparking criticism from activists and lawyers.

France's highest court has overturned an arrest warrant issued in 2023 for the former Syrian president. However, it found that he can now be prosecuted, as he is no longer in…

En 2023, deux juges d’instruction parisiennes spécialisées avaient émis un mandat d’arrêt pour complicité de crimes contre l’humanité et de crimes de guerre contre le dictateur…