Justice in Syria: Individual Criminal Liability for Highest Officials in the Assad Regime

Seven years have passed since revolution broke out in Syria in March of 2011. During those six years, hundreds of thousands of Syrians lost their lives, millions of Syrians were internally displaced or left the country seeking refuge, and a beautiful and diverse country was hijacked and terrorized by civil war. Every day in Syria, people are detained, tortured, raped, and killed. Attacks on homes, hospitals, markets, and schools are common occurrences. At this stage of the conflict, there is little doubt that it is the most horrific and dire humanitarian crisis since World War II. The conflict began as an uprising in protest of the authoritarian Assad regime, which has ruled Syria for over four decades. Unfortunately, it has escalated into a brutal civil war between the Assad regime, several rebel factions, and an Islamic extremist infiltration. Bloodshed and terror are now Syria’s everyday reality. When and how will those responsible be held accountable for these atrocities