Transitional Justice and Accountability Efforts in Syria: Challenges and Prospects

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More than a year and a half after the establishment of Syria’s Transitional Justice Commission, the country’s accountability landscape is entering a new and fragile phase. The opening of trials against figures such as Atef Najib has raised cautious hopes that long‑delayed justice efforts may finally be taking shape. Yet these developments unfold against a political transition that shows no meaningful signs of progress, creating a widening gap between emerging accountability mechanisms and the stalled broader democratic transition process. Additional challenges include the Trump administration’s push to prioritize business interest and Israel’s agenda in Syria, internal Syrian divisions and external influences, and the war on Iran and shifts in the regional geopolitical order.

Arab Center Washington DC (ACW) and the Institute for Middle East Studies at George Washington University are organizing this webinar to explore the current state of transitional justice in Syria, assess the significance and limitations of recent prosecutions, explore the various challenges and prospects of accountability efforts, examine what these dynamics mean for Syrians seeking truth and redress, and offer recommendations for a credible path toward political transformation and democratic governance in Syria.

Speakers:

• Mariana Karkoutly: Co-founder/ board member and Investigation Program Director at Huquqyat

• Melani McAlister: Director of the Institute for Middle East Studies and Professor of American Studies and International Affairs, George Washington University

• Yasmine Nahlawi: Internal Consultant, Syria’s National Commission for Transitional Justice

• Robert Petit: Head of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism Investigating Serious Crimes in Syria, United Nations

• Radwan Ziadeh: Senior Fellow, Arab Center Washington DC

• Daniel Neep: Director of Publications and Senior Fellow, Arab Center Washington DC