On Thursday evening, the head of the transitional administration in Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, issued a presidential decree dismissing 67 judges who had served in the so-called “terrorism” courts during the rule of the ousted Assad regime.
According to the official Syrian News Agency (SANA), the Syrian Transitional Government’s Ministry of Justice stated that the decree was part of broader efforts to reinforce judicial reform and uphold the principles of justice.
The Ministry explained that the presidential decision followed the conclusion of administrative judicial inspection investigations conducted by the Supreme Judicial Council. These investigations resulted in the Council’s decision to remove 67 judges who previously served in the now-dissolved “terrorism” courts.
The Ministry affirmed that the Council’s decision was based on findings from judicial inspections and procedural trials, which confirmed that the actions of the dismissed judges had contributed to strengthening the former regime’s security grip over the Syrian people.
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The Ministry further noted that the Supreme Judicial Council has maintained ongoing investigations into the cases of 10 other judges, some of whom had already retired or were previously dismissed, after it was determined through inspection that they had not committed the alleged violations. Meanwhile, procedural trials remain underway for nine additional judges. The Council has suspended them from duty and ordered an expansion of the investigation. In some instances, files have been referred to the Public Prosecutor for the continuation of criminal proceedings.
The Ministry of Justice called on all affected citizens who experienced blackmail or other violations at the hands of the dismissed or retired judges to submit their complaints, along with any evidence or information, to the Public Prosecution.
In mid-March, Mr. Abdul Hamid al-Awak, a member of the Constitutional Declaration Drafting Committee, announced that the declaration had officially abolished the exceptional courts, including the terrorism court, established by the ousted regime to prosecute its political opponents.
He added that a new court will be established to handle transitional justice issues in Syria.
