Syria faces rising calls for accountability as protests spread

Syrian authorities have arrested nearly 6,000 individuals linked to the former government of Bashar al-Assad, the Interior Ministry announced on June 15th, as protests demanding justice for past abuses continue to spread across the country, reports The Arab Weekly and agencies on June 16th.

Speaking at a news conference in Damascus, Interior Ministry spokesman Noureddine al-Baba said demonstrations and sit-ins had taken place in several provinces over the past two days, with participants calling for those responsible for crimes committed during Assad’s rule to be held accountable.

Baba described the demands as legitimate and said accountability remains a central commitment of Syria’s new government. He stressed that justice would be pursued through legal procedures rather than acts of revenge or collective punishment.

“Accountability is not merely a popular demand, but an official commitment of the new Syrian state,” Baba said, adding that investigations would be conducted through the courts and based on evidence.

The protest movement reportedly began in the eastern province of Deir Ez-Zor before spreading to Idlib, Aleppo and the capital, Damascus. While many demonstrators have demanded prosecutions for alleged abuses under the former government, rights advocates have cautioned against targeting individuals solely because of their past association with the regime.

Authorities also announced what they described as a major security breakthrough, revealing that a former regime-linked security cell had been dismantled following an extended surveillance operation.

According to the Interior Ministry, members of the group were involved in intelligence gathering and the transmission of coordinates allegedly used in attacks on civilian areas in Idlib and Jisr al-Shughour. Officials further linked some suspects to the 2020 massacre at Jabal al-Duwaila camp in Kafr Takharim, where more than 100 people were killed.

Among those detained is Major General Ahmad Hijazi Hijazi, a former senior intelligence official. Authorities also confirmed the arrest of 12 officers connected to investigations into alleged abuses at military hospitals.

Baba said the Counter-Terrorism Directorate is currently holding 5,989 detainees from the former regime. The arrests form part of broader efforts by Syria’s new leadership to address alleged wartime violations and stabilise the country following Assad’s overthrow in December 2024.

The Arab Weekly and agencies, Maghrebi.org