Syria replace justice minister amid new government formation

Mazhar Al Wais has been appointed as the new Justice Minister for Syria, replacing the controversial Shadi Al Waisi, as part of the announcement of the country’s newly formed government late on March 31st.

According to The National, Mr Al Waisi, who previously held a position as a religious official in the Al Nusra Front, is accused of sentencing two women to death for prostitution and adultery in January 2015, with the executions allegedly captured on footage shared on social media at the time.

Reports indicated that the women were executed in Idlib, which was under the control of Al Nusra Front at that time.

Mr Al Waisi, who had previously served as head of general intelligence, was also a judge for the Al Qaeda-affiliated group in the northern Syrian province.

This development comes as Syria announced a 23-member Cabinet, which is religiously and ethnically diverse, tasked with overseeing a five-year transitional period.

The new Cabinet replaces the interim government that was established after the removal of Bashar Al Assad from power in early December.

Upon his appointment, Mr Al Wais pledged to “consolidate the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary”.

He added, “We will work to empower justice, reform the legislative structure, and implement transitional justice to bring justice to the victims,” in his speech following the announcement.

Mr Al Wais has a background in Islamic jurisprudence, having been instrumental in the establishment of the Ministry of Justice in northern Syria.

He has also been a member of the Supreme Judicial Council since 2017, according to state news agency Sana.

In 2008, he was sentenced to six years in Syria’s infamous Sednaya Prison by the Assad regime, as reported by Sana.

The new government, including the new Justice Minister for Syria, was announced just ahead of Eid Al Fitr, the festival marking the end of Ramadan, which will be celebrated in Syria on Monday.

The formation of the Cabinet comes at a critical time for Syria, with ongoing Israeli airstrikes and raids,  as well as the aftermath of a brutal campaign against Assad loyalists.

This campaign, characterised by sectarian violence and acts of revenge, has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians, many of whom belong to minority communities.

The National. Maghrebi