An assault on a judge in Aleppo, Syria’s business capital, has raised questions about the integrity of the country’s legal system as the authorities seek to attract investment.
Judge Ahmad Haskal wrote in a WhatsApp group page for lawyers, which was seen by The National, that he was detained, stripped, and beaten with a pipe at the Salhine police station in Aleppo after being called on Monday for questioning in a murder investigation.
He was released later that day after the Ministry of Justice intervened.
The alleged assault occurred after the judge insisted that the body in the case be handed to a coroner.
The security forces, however, had transferred it to a municipal mortuary and objected to the ruling. He said that as he was beaten he was taunted with the term "Shabbih” – a reference to the militia loyal to former president Bashar Al Assad and notorious for its violence during the civil war.
The Ministry of Justice condemned the attack, saying that a formal complaint has been filed with the Ministry of Interior.
It also rejected claims that Mr Haskal was affiliated with the so-called "terrorism court” under the former regime – a court that reputedly approved the killing of thousands of Syrians.
The incident angered Syria's legal community. On Monday, lawyers staged a sit-in at the Justice Palace in Aleppo.
When Mr Haskal was released, they carried on their shoulders. "We demand a state of law,” protesters chanted.
Zaher, a lawyer who took part in the sit-in, said he was worried that the assault on Mr Haskal undermines any hopes for legal reform.
“The men who beat the judge have gotten away with it," he told The National. "This bodes ill for the future of the legal system.”
The suspected attackers were said to have been detained, although a security official in Aleppo told The National that they were held only briefly. Among the alleged attackers was Obaida Al Tahhan, the Salhine station chief and former militia member with ties to Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, the militant group behind the removal of Mr Al Assad in December. It helped to found the government of Syria and its members are immune from prosecution.
“If the judge had misbehaved, then charge him legally,” Zaher said. “No one should be assaulted. Even if Bashar Al Assad is found and arrested tomorrow, his punishment must be through trial. No one should take justice into their own hands.”
On Sunday, President Ahmad Al Shara announced a restructuring of the Interior Ministry’s security apparatus, marking the first major overhaul of domestic security since the fall of Al Assad's regime last year. The new structure will include six deputies under the Interior Minister and 14 provincial commanders, each responsible for one of Syria's governorates.
Syria's legal system was notoriously corrupt during the five decades of Assad family rule, aside from being subject to the orders and whims of the secret police.
Bribes were common throughout the whole system.
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
