A Syrian court on Thursday opened the trial of former Grand Mufti Ahmad Hassoun on charges of issuing fatwas that authorized the killing of Syrians during the uprising against Bashar al-Assad's regime.
The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus launched proceedings against Hassoun, who served as Syria's top religious authority under Assad until the regime's fall in December 2024, Syria's state news agency SANA reported.
The session was attended by the republic's public prosecutor, Judge Hassan al-Turba, alongside representatives of local and international human rights organizations, the report said.
Hassoun faces charges of complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity, incitement to murder and other offenses.
Syrian authorities arrested him in March 2025 as he attempted to flee the country under an existing arrest warrant.
A staunch defender of the Assad regime, Hassoun was known for public statements backing the use of force against opposition groups.
Syrians dubbed him the "Mufti of Barrels" — a reference to the barrel bombs the former regime dropped on civilian areas.
The trial forms part of a broader transitional justice process aimed at holding perpetrators of wartime violations accountable, SANA said.
Bashar al-Assad, Syria's ruler for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia in December 2024, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963. A new transitional administration led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa was formed in January 2025.
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