Dubai Bound Amid Legal Troubles
Former Syrian vice president and uncle of ousted leader Bashar al-Assad, Rifaat al-Assad, recently flew from Beirut to Dubai, according to Lebanese security officials. He has left Lebanon following the toppling of Bashar al-Assad on December 8, with several members of the Assad family traveling with him, while others remained in Lebanon. Lebanese authorities confirmed that they had not received any Interpol requests for the arrest of Rifaat or other Assad family members.
War Crimes Charges and Alleged Hama Massacre
Rifaat al-Assad, in his late 80s, is accused by Switzerland of responsibility in the brutal suppression of a Muslim Brotherhood uprising in the Syrian city of Hama in 1982. According to reports, forces that he commanded committed the massacre in which over 10,000 people were killed. Human rights organizations put the number of civilian victims between 30,000 and 40,000 during the operation. In 2022, it was documented that the SNHR accounted for the massacre. Switzerland had already lodged Rifaat al-Assad in trial facing charges related to war crimes and crime against humanity. He still denies being held responsible over the bloodbath.
Legal and Health Complications
Although Rifaat was indicted in Switzerland, Swiss judicial authorities recently recommended that the trial may be delayed because of his health condition. The 1982 Hama massacre is often considered a precursor to the brutal crackdown by Bashar al-Assad during the Syrian Civil War. Rifaat’s actions in 1982 have been likened to his nephew’s violent tactics in 2011.
Exile and Past Legal Issues
Rifaat al-Assad has lived in Switzerland, Spain, and France, among other countries, where in 2020 he was convicted of amassing millions of euros in property based on illicit funds. In 2021, he returned to Syria. The Lebanese authorities have recently detained Rifaat’s daughter-in-law and granddaughter, who tried to travel using forged passports. The Lebanese are also chasing former Syrian intelligence officers who are accused of war crimes, including Jamil Hassan.
