PARIS– French prosecutors requested yesterday a 10-year prison sentence for Majdi Nema, a former Syrian rebel commander and spokesman for the Islamist group Jaysh al-Islam, on charges related to war crimes during Syria’s civil war.
Nema, 37, was arrested in France in 2020 and has been held in pre-trial detention since. He is being tried under the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows French courts to prosecute individuals for the most serious crimes, such as war crimes and crimes against humanity, committed outside French territory.
Prosecutors argued that Nema played a “key operational and ideological role” within Jaysh al-Islam, a powerful faction in eastern Ghouta, a Damascus suburb once besieged by government forces. Although Nema claims he was only a media spokesperson based in Turkey, prosecutors presented testimony suggesting he was more deeply involved in the group’s political and military activities.
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Nema is charged with participating in a conspiracy to commit war crimes, including the alleged recruitment of child soldiers. Prosecutors have asked the court to acquit him of direct complicity in war crimes due to insufficient evidence, but they maintain he gave essential support to a group that committed them.
His lawyers argue he had no command authority and that the charges are based largely on second-hand witness statements. The defence is scheduled to deliver closing arguments on Tuesday, with a verdict expected on Wednesday.
Jaysh al-Islam, which was part of Syria’s armed opposition and backed by some Gulf countries during the early years of the conflict, has been accused of kidnapping and torturing civilians, including activists and journalists.
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The case has drawn attention from human rights groups seeking accountability for violations by all sides in the Syrian war, which has killed over 350,000 people and displaced millions.
France has previously tried and convicted members of the Assad regime for crimes committed during the conflict, but this case is among the few targeting opposition fighters.
