A criminal court in Damascus has opened the first trial session of Wassim al Assad, a cousin of former Syrian regime leader Bashar al Assad, on charges including drug trafficking and involvement in crimes committed during the previous government’s rule.
According to the state-run SANA news agency on Wednesday, the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus held its first hearing in the case and heard testimony from witnesses.
Wassim al Assad, 46, has long been accused of playing a role in the production and smuggling of Captagon across the region during the rule of the former regime. He is also under US and European sanctions.
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High-profile case
Syrian authorities arrested Wassim al Assad on June 21, 2025, as part of a wider campaign targeting individuals accused of crimes committed under the former regime.
The trial is among the most prominent legal proceedings launched since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and is being closely watched as a test of Syria’s efforts to pursue accountability.
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