Status: Closed

The Swiss Federal Criminal Court recently issued a dismissal order in the case of Rifaat al-Assad. It puts an end to the proceedings that were initiated over a decade ago, following his death earlier this year.

TRIAL International regrets this ending of the only procedure that might have brought justice for atrocities committed in the Syrian city of Hama in 1982, under his command.

TRIAL International pays tribute to the victims of the Hama massacre, particularly to the plaintiffs, who fought with courage and determination during lengthy proceedings, despite high personal risks.

Rifaat al-Assad, former Syrian vice-president indicted in Switzerland for war crimes and crimes against humanity, reportedly died on 20 January 2026 in the United Arab Emirates, at the age of 88. Syrian plaintiffs had long hoped that he would stand trial in Switzerland for the infamous Hama massacre, but his death closes a significant chapter in their quest for justice. TRIAL International had repeatedly expressed concern about the length of the proceedings, which lasted more than a decade, and deeply regrets the outcome of this historic case.

On 8 December 2024, after more than five decades of rule by the al-Assad clan, Syria’s history was turned upside down in just a handful of days. Rifaat al-Assad is a key figure in the dynasty. Former Syrian Vice-President and uncle of ousted President Bashar, he has been the subject of proceedings in Switzerland since 2013 for his alleged role as commander of the ‘Defence Brigades’ in the infamous Hama massacre of February 1982. The Swiss Office of the Attorney General (OAG) issued an international arrest warrant for him in November 2021. After more than ten years of investigation, it filed an indictment against him in March 2024 for war crimes and crimes against humanity. However, at the end of November 2024, the Federal Criminal Court (FCC) indicated that it wanted to close the case on the grounds that Rifaat al-Assad’s state of health would not allow him to travel to Switzerland or attend his trial. However, such a decision at this pivotal moment would be running against the tide of history.

Former Syrian Vice-President Rifaat al-Assad will stand trial in Switzerland for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has just charged with ordering homicides, acts of torture, cruel treatments and illegal detentions perpetrated in the course of the February 1982 massacre in the city of Hama, Syria. With today’s indictment, the victims can finally look forward to justice being done. Rifaat al-Assad, the uncle of current Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, will be one of the highest-ranking government officials ever to be tried for international crimes based on the principle of universal jurisdiction.

Ten years ago, to the day, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) of Switzerland, opened a criminal investigation for war crimes against former Syrian Vice-President Rifaat al-Assad. A criminal complaint had been filed by TRIAL International just days prior, while Mr. al-Assad was present in Switzerland. Throughout these years, TRIAL International has continued to support the plaintiffs in their quest for justice.

The Swiss Federal Criminal Court (FCC) has ordered the Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) to issue an international arrest warrant for former Vice President Rifaat al-Assad in connection with the proceedings he has been facing since 2013 for his alleged role in the massive war crimes committed in the city of Hama in February 1982. TRIAL International calls on the Swiss authorities to swiftly indict and bring to trial the man nicknamed the “Butcher of Hama”, now aged 85.

On the 13th of December 2013, alerted of his presence in Switzerland, TRIAL International filed a criminal denunciation against Rifaat Al-Assad before the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) for his alleged responsibility in the massacre that took place in the Syrian city of Hama in February 1982.

Today, TRIAL International and the Syrian human rights defender Anwar Al-Bunni discuss the key moments of the case, which is still being investigated in Switzerland and not yet closed, nine years after the opening of the proceedings against the man known as “the Butcher of Hama”.

After 36 years of forced exile in France, Rifaat al-Assad has returned to Syria and escaped from the French justice system. The former Syrian vice-president, despite having been sentenced on appeal in Paris last month to four years in prison for ill-gotten gains, was able to covertly leave French territory and return to Damascus on 7 October 2021. His flight compromises not only the enforcement of his sentence in France, but also the procedure ongoing against him in Switzerland for war crimes, opened in response to a criminal complaint filed by TRIAL International in 2013.

Exactly 39 years ago, Syrian armed forces began besieging the city of Hama as a retaliation for an attempted uprising by the Muslim Brotherhood. In little less than a month in February 1982, the troops of Hafez al-Assad carried out a full-scale massacre that cost the lives of tens of thousands of people, most of them civilians. Rifaat al-Assad, brother of the President, who was leading the Defense Brigades, has been denying his involvment in these events ever since. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland has been investigating Rifaat al-Assad for war crimes since December 2013, following a criminal complaint filed by TRIAL International.

A UN report made public points the finger at Switzerland. In two criminal cases for war crimes, the Office of the Attorney General is alleged to have succumbed to political pressure. This has resulted in huge delays in proceedings, to the detriment of victims supported by TRIAL International.

In this article, summarising the criticism directed at Switzerland by the United Nations special rapporteur on torture and their counterpart on the independence of judges and lawyers, the delays in the present case of Khaled Nezzar as well as the one of Rifaat Al-Assad are being questioned.

On 2 February 1982, Syrian government forces, including the Defense Brigades, attacked the city of Hama to crush opponents to the regime who had taken up arms.

For almost a month, civilians were trapped into their city, unable to get any help, food, supply, nor electricity… Civil casualties ranged from 10’000 to 40’000, depending on the sources.

Hamid Sulaiman, a Syrian artist born in Damascus, is one of the “young dreamers of the Arab spring”. He was not yet born when Hama 82 massacre took place, but it still resonates with him like “a ghost of terror”. Forced to flee Syria in 2011, he settled in Paris where he recently published his first graphic novel based on his experience.

Rifaat Al-Assad is a career military man and a Syrian politician. He is the younger brother of the former president of Syria Hafez Al-Assad, to which he has largely facilitated the ascension to power in 1970. He is the uncle of the current president Bashar Al-Assad.

A member of the highest political circles in the 1980s, he was part of the regional commandment of the Baath party and has led the “Defense Brigades” (Saraya al-difaa an al thawara), Syria’s elite commando troops, from 1971 to 1984.

Thought by many to succeed to his elder brother as president, he was then suspected of preparing a coup against the latter. He was subsequently forced into exile in 1984. Since then, he has lived in various European countries where he has invested his substantial personal fortune.

In June 2016, he was indicted in France for embezzlement of public funds and undeclared labour. Some of his assets, worth several million euros, were seized in France, in Spain and in the United Kingdom.

Revelations about TRIAL International’s investigation

A collective of lawyers has revealed today the existence of criminal proceedings in Switzerland against Rifaat Al-Assad for war crimes committed in Syria in the 1980s. TRIAL International confirms it has, after a thorough investigation, denounced the former vice-president to the Swiss judicial authorities. A solid case is now in the hands of the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), who must now bring to its close this exemplary and historical case.

Since 2013 and following a criminal complaint by TRIAL International, Rifaat Al-Assad is the subject of a criminal investigation in Switzerland for war crimes. But four years later, the NGO is worried the case is at a stalemate, despite the significant amount of evidence at hand. This morning, the complainants’ lawyers have publicly challenged the OAG and denounced a denial of justice for their clients – who are all victims of the Syrian regime’s barbarity.

On 16 October 2025, the European Court of Human Rights declared the compaint for denial of justice lodged by two plaintiffs in the Khaled Nezzar case inadmissible.

Two plaintiffs in the Khaled Nezzar case lodged a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights on 7 July 2025. They are asking for recognition of the denial of justice they suffered as a result of the slowness of the investigation, which was finally closed after the death of the accused.

On 10 March 2025, the Complaints Court of the Swiss Federal Criminal Court (FCC) rejected the request of two plaintiffs in the case of Khaled Nezzar, former Algerian Minister of Defense, who was indicted in August 2023. They had asked for a finding that the principle of expeditiousness on the part of the criminal prosecution authorities had been violated, constituting a denial of justice. The defendant’s death 6 months before his trial constituted a definitive impediment to his prosecution, resulting in the proceedings being closed in June 2024. Despite proceedings that had lasted over 12 years, the FCC refused to recognize the denial of justice and to compensate the plaintiffs, represented by lawyers Orlane Varesano and Sophie Bobillier, for the delays in the investigation. TRIAL International regrets this decision and is ready to continue supporting the victims in their fight for recognition of the shortcomings in the investigation.

Khaled Nezzar, former Algerian Minister of Defence, was arrested in Geneva in October 2011, following a complaint by TRIAL International. After lengthy proceedings, the Office of the Federal Prosecutor filed an indictment against him for war crimes. The dates of his trial were made public on 28 December 2023, two days before his death.

During the time his trial was due to take place in Switzerland (17 June – 19 July 2024), TRIAL International wished to pay tribute to the struggle of the plaintiffs, by giving them the opportunity to express their views. After giving the floor to three of them, we now relay the words of Orlane Varesano, one of the lawyers in the case.

For a more detailed account of the case of Khaled Nezzar, read our retrospective article.

During the time Khaled Nezzar’s trial was due to take place in Switzerland (17 June – 19 July 2024), TRIAL International would like to pay tribute to the struggle of the plaintiffs by giving them the opportunity to express their views. The third testimony is that of Sid Ahmed Aber, one of the plaintiffs in the Nezzar case:

For a more detailed account of the case of Khaled Nezzar, read our retrospective article.

During the time Khaled Nezzar’s trial was due to take place in Switzerland, TRIAL International would like to pay tribute to the struggle of the plaintiffs by giving them the opportunity to express their views. The second testimony is that of Abdelwahab Boukezouha, one of the plaintiffs in the Nezzar case:

Other testimonies will follow every week during the time that was initially scheduled for the trial. (17 June – 19 July 2024)

For a more detailed account of the case of Khaled Nezzar, read our retrospective article.

On the day Khaled Nezzar’s trial was due to open in Switzerland, TRIAL International would like to pay tribute to the struggle of the plaintiffs by giving them the opportunity to express their views. The first testimony is that of Amar Rhabi, one of the plaintiffs in the Nezzar case:

Other testimonies will follow every week during the time that was initially scheduled for the trial. (17 June – 19 July 2024)

For a more detailed account of the case of Khaled Nezzar, read our retrospective article.

Khaled Nezzar died on 29 December 2023 in Algiers, just days after the announcement of the dates for his trial on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Switzerland. While a single criminal case cannot provide justice for a decade-long civil war, where atrocities were committed by all sides, his case was historical given it was the only attempt to provide justice for crimes committed during the so-called Black decade, which have been amnestied in Algeria.

On the date his trial was to open in Switzerland, TRIAL International would like to honor the plaintiffs’ struggle and at the same time provide an account of the case against Khaled Nezzar.

The trial of former Algerian Defence Minister Khaled Nezzar will take place in Bellinzona between 17 June and 19 July 2024, according to information recently received by TRIAL International. Twelve years after the criminal complaint filed by TRIAL International against him, and following tumultuous proceedings, Nezzar will have to face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity brought against him by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) of Switzerland.

Former Algerian Minister of Defense Khaled Nezzar will stand trial in Switzerland on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. After almost twelve years of tumultuous proceedings, the announcement that the case will finally go to trial renews hope that victims of the Algerian civil war (1991-2002) will get justice. Mr. Nezzar will be the highest-ranking military official ever tried for such crimes based on the principle of universal jurisdiction.

According to information recently made public, former Algerian Minister of Defense Khaled Nezzar is on his deathbed. An indictment by the Swiss authorities is still pending, 12 years after they opened criminal proceedings for complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity against the former general! When the accused passes away, the case will be closed and the victims’ demands will forever remain unanswered, leaving the wounds of the “black decade” open. This would highlight the serious shortcomings of the Swiss prosecuting authorities in this case.

11 years after his arrest in Geneva, the procedure against Khaled Nezzar is still ongoing in Switzerland. TRIAL International still hopes for an indictment in the near future.

It is a giant step forward in the fight against impunity. The Swiss Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has conducted the final hearing of Khaled Nezzar. The OAG holds that numerous war crimes and crimes against humanity were committed while Mr. Nezzar was leading the military junta and serving as Minister of Defense at the beginning of the Algerian civil war. After more than 10 years of investigation and numerous judicial twists, the end of the proceedings paves the way for Mr. Nezzar to be sent to trial before the Federal Criminal Court (FCC) for serious offences constituting complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity, including extrajudicial executions, torture and enforced disappearances.

Did Switzerland miss a historic opportunity to judge a potential war criminal? It has been ten years to the day since TRIAL International filed a criminal complaint against the former Algerian Minister of Defense Khaled Nezzar, on 19 October 2011. It has also been a decade since a criminal investigation for war crimes was opened. This was long enough for the accused to return to Algeria without being bothered and probably long enough to doubt that he will ever have to answer for his involvement in the many acts of torture, extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances that took place during the “Dirty War” that tore Algeria apart between 1992 and 2002.

Just one year ago, the Swiss Federal Criminal Court (FCC) recognized the existence of a civil war in Algeria during the “Black Decade,” between 1992 and 2002. This was a very thorough judgment which brought together, in a single decision, numerous aspects of international law. TRIAL International has translated key passages of the judgment into English in an effort to make it more accessible to international stakeholders.

A UN report made public points the finger at Switzerland. In two criminal cases for war crimes, the Office of the Attorney General is alleged to have succumbed to political pressure. This has resulted in huge delays in proceedings, to the detriment of victims supported by TRIAL International.

In this article, summarising the criticism directed at Switzerland by the United Nations special rapporteur on torture and their counterpart on the independence of judges and lawyers, the delays in the present case of Khaled Nezzar as well as the one of Rifaat Al-Assad are being questioned.

The Swiss Federal Criminal Court (FCC) has overturned a decision of the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to dismiss the case of former Algerian Minister Khaled Nezzar, who is suspected of war crimes. In a landmark 50-page decision, the FCC rules that an armed conflict did exist in Algeria in the early 1990s and that General Nezzar was aware of the countless crimes committed under his command. Consequently, the case is referred back the OAG, who will have to resume the investigation.

Five years after the opening of the case against Khaled Nezzar by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) of Switzerland in 2011 for alleged war crimes, the OAG surprisingly concluded that the alleged acts by the former Minister of Defense could not be considered as war crimes on the grounds that there was no war in Algeria when the facts occurred. TRIAL International, the NGO that filed the criminal complaint against Khaled Nezzar, believes this ruling is incomprehensible and supports the civil parties in their appeal before the Swiss Federal Criminal Court (FCC).

However, it was not forwarded to the Algerian authorities until 7 April 2015.

On 31 July 2012, the Federal Criminal Court (FCC) released a landmark decision in the case of Khaled Nezzar, denounced by TRIAL International for war crimes. The FCC found the former Algerian defence minister cannot claim immunity for acts committed during his tenure. It found that one could not possibly invoke immunity for serious international crimes, thus paving the way for a trial in Switzerland. This decision opens up significant possibilities in the fight against impunity based on the principle of universal jurisdiction.

He argues that his position as Minister of Defense at the time protected him from criminal prosecution in Switzerland.

Following erroneous assertions that were published in the media after the arrest of Khaled Nezzar in Geneva on 22 October 2011, TRIAL International issued a Press Release clarifying several points.

He is questioned by the OAG until 21 October 2011, before being released in exchange for promising to participate in subsequent proceedings.

In accordance with its mandate, TRIAL International files a criminal complaint with the Swiss Office of the Attorney General (OAG), which opens an investigation.

The German Federal Court of Justice announced on November 29, 2024 that it had rejected the appeal of a former member of a Gambian death squad who was sentenced to life imprisonment a year ago for his participation in two murders and three attempted murders, constituting crimes against humanity. This was the first trial in history to be held under the principle of universal jurisdiction for international crimes committed under former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh.

Bai L., a former member of the paramilitary unit known as the “Junglers”, created by former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a German court for two murders and an attempted murder constituting crimes against humanity. This is the first trial to be held on the basis of universal jurisdiction for crimes committed during Mr Jammeh’s presidency. The judgment is of major significance, not only for the four plaintiffs in the trial, but also for all the victims and survivors of these crimes.

TRIAL International has put together a series of frequently asked questions about the case of Bai L., former member of the Gambian paramilitary unit also known as the “Junglers”, created under former dictator Yahya Jammeh. It exists in English, French and German.

Alleged Gambian ‘Death Squad’ Driver’s Trial Progresses

A Ghanaian citizen who survived the massacre of approximately 59 West African migrants in July 2005 by a paramilitary ‘death squad’ in Gambia will testify before a court on 19 January 2023 in the German city of Celle, ANEKED, Human Rights Watch, the International Commission of Jurists, the Solo Sandeng Foundation and TRIAL International said today. The death squad was allegedly set up by the then-Gambian President Yahya Jammeh. The trial is of Bai L. who was allegedly involved in the killings.

A woman who survived the murder of the renowned Gambian journalist and newspaper editor Deyda Hydara, testified on 6 and 7 October 2022 in the German city of Celle at the trial of Bai L., a man allegedly involved in the killing.

The opening of the first German trial for serious crimes committed in Gambia is a major step for justice, Human Rights Watch, the International Commission of Jurists, Reporters Without Borders, and TRIAL International said today. The groups released a question-and-answer document on the trial, which opens on 25 April 2022, and will hold an online briefing on 21 April.

Major Advance for Victims of Abuses During Yahya Jammeh Rule

The indictment in Germany, announced on 03.03.2022, of an alleged former Gambian “death squad” member suspected of crimes against humanity is an important step for Gambian victims and international justice, TRIAL International and the International Commission of Jurists said today.

The session of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission on the massacre of 59 migrants from eight West African countries has come to an end on 11 March 2021 in The Gambia. The testimonies that succeeded in recent weeks have revealed new elements, but also confirmed existing information, further strengthening the ties between former President Yahya Jammeh and these murders. Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International support the process to ensure that the former president – in exile in Equatorial Guinea since his departure from The Gambia in January 2017 – is held accountable.

The families of more than 50 Ghanaian and other West African migrants killed in The Gambia and Senegal 15 years ago have yet to learn the full truth and obtain justice concerning the massacre, 11 human rights organizations said today. Amid growing evidence that the murders were carried out by Gambian security force members acting on the orders of then-president Yahya Jammeh, the groups called for an international investigation of the massacre.

On Saturday June 1, 2024, the Military Court of the former Kasai Occidental declared itself incompetent to judge certain high-ranking state officials accused of involvement in the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Bana Mura militias in Kamonia between 2017 and 2018. The presence, among the 11 defendants, of a senior commander of the Congolese national police as well as a national senator justified the court’s decision to refer the case, in its entirety, to the High Military Court in Kinshasa. This is a very disappointing outcome for the victims, who will have to wait once again to make their voices heard and see those responsible for the crimes punished.

On Monday May 20, a major trial opens in Tshikapa, capital of the Kasai province in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In the dock are 11 defendants, including a Congolese police commander, village chiefs, a former national deputy and a former vice-governor of the province. These alleged members of the Bana Mura militia, formed in 2017 in response to attacks by the Kamuina Nsapu rebellion, are facing charges for crimes allegedly committed in Kamonia territory between 2017 and 2018. They are accused of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including murder, torture, pillaging, sexual violence, imprisonment and enforced disappearance.

On the second day of the trial, the defendants’ lawyers requested that the general and senator be referred to the compeatent authority, the Constitutional Court, due to their status. The plaintiffs’ lawyers rejected this argument. The court suspended the hearings, which will resume on Thursday May 23.

On May 20, the trial of a dozen militiamen, local politicians and representatives of the Congolese security forces for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the Kamonia territory between 2017 and 2018 opened in Tshikapa (Kasai province, Democratic Republic of Congo). The trial is taking place in the context of a deadly conflict in the Kasai region that opposed the customary chief Kamuina Nsapu and his supporters to the government in Kinshasa between 2016 and 2019. The conflict, coupled with inter-ethnic tensions, has resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of 1.4 million people. This trial could shed light, for the first time, on the responsibility of certain Congolese authorities in the Kasai conflict. The verdict is expected in early June.

Read our press release