France's top court cancels Al-Assad arrest order
On Friday, France's highest court annulled an arrest warrant issued against Former Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, over his alleged role in the 2013 chemical attacks near Damascus.
The Court of Cassation ruled that heads of state are immune from prosecution in foreign courts, even in cases involving alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. The original order, issued in November 2023, accused Al-Assad of complicity in the sarin gas attacks that killed more than 1,000 people in the towns of Adra and Douma, according to US intelligence assessments.
Court President Christophe Soulard noted that although the original warrant is no longer valid due to Al-Assad's former status, new arrest orders could now be issued following his removal from power.
Al-Assad was deposed in December 2024 and fled to Russia following a military takeover led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who later assumed the role of Syria's transitional president.
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