Three high-ranking Syrian intelligence officers have been accused of complicity in crimes against humanity in the deaths of a father and son who disappeared a decade ago, the French anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office said on Wednesday.
Arrest warrants have been issued for the men, despite the office acknowledging that there was little likelihood they would be extradited to France.
The French prosecutor's office said a trial in the case could proceed without them in a Paris criminal court. A trial date has not been set.
France’s anti-terrorism prosecutors also handle cases involving possible crimes against humanity.
The French justice system can take on cases when French nationality is involved.
Two non-government organisations that filed an October 2016 complaint with a relative identified the victims as Mazzen Dabbagh and his son Patrick, who have Syrian and French nationality.
The formal accusations came after a years-long investigation into their deaths.
The three were charged with provoking crimes against humanity, giving instructions to commit them and allowing subordinates to commit them through the alleged arrest, torture and killing of the father and son, the office said.
The intelligence officers were also accused of confiscating the house of the victims and their family for the benefit of Syria, and putting Syria’s air force intelligence services at the disposal of the people who carried out the killings.
The NGOs identified the Syrian defendants in the case as Ali Mamlouk, head of the Syrian secret services, Jamil Hassan, director of Syrian air force intelligence, and Abdel Salam Mahmoud, an investigations official at Damascus’ Mezzah military airport, where a detention centre is thought to be located.
“This is a great victory for my family and for all Syrian victims that after all these years of combat truth surfaces,” said Obeida Dabbagh, the brother and uncle of the victims.
Mr Dabbagh was quoted in a joint statement issued by three NGOs: the International Federation for Human Rights; the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression; and the League of Human Rights.
He asked for the trial to start quickly.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
THE DETAILS
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Dir: Ron Howard
Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson
3/5
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more from Janine di Giovanni
Company%20profile
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SPEC%20SHEET
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
More on Quran memorisation:
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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FULL%20RESULTS
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