French judicial authorities have issued international arrest warrants against the head of the Syrian regime, Bashar al-Assad, and his brother Maher al-Assad.

In addition two of their aides have all been charged of using prohibited chemical weapons against civilians in the city of Douma and in the Eastern Ghouta region in 2013, which resulted in the deaths of more than 1,000 people.

Mazen Darvish, founder and director of the Syrian Center for Communication and Freedom of Expression, said: "Issuing these arrest warrants constitutes a historic judicial precedent, a new victory for the victims and their families, and an important step towards achieving justice and sustainable peace in Syria."

He noted that "investigating judges in France have confirmed that in such crimes, no one has immunity, and we expect the French authorities to respect the suffering and rights of the victims and the decisions of the French justice system."

In addition to Al-Assad, arrest warrants were issued against a number of other individuals, including Brigadier General Hassan Abbas, Director of Branch 450 of the Center for Scientific Studies and Research in Syria, and Brigadier Bassam Al-Hassan, Advisor to the President of the Republic for Strategic Affairs and Liaison Officer between the Presidential Palace and the Center for Research scientific.

This judicial action comes after a criminal investigation conducted by the Special Unit for Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes of the Paris Magistrates' Court into two chemical weapons attacks in August 2013.

The investigation was opened based on a complaint filed by the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression and Syrian Victims in March 2021. The complaint was supported by the Syrian Archives, the Open Society Justice Initiative, and the civil rights defenders for members of the Chemical Weapons Victims Association.

Hadi Elkhatib, the founder of the Syrian Archive, emphasized that "by issuing these arrest warrants, France adopts a firm position that the terrible crimes that took place ten years ago cannot remain unaccounted for."

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