Paris: The Attorney General at the French Court of Cassation, Remy Heitz, has requested that the arrest warrant against Bashar al-Assad be maintained. This warrant pertains to accusations of Assad's complicity in crimes against humanity in Syria, specifically linked to chemical attacks in Adra, Douma, and Eastern Ghouta in August 2013, which resulted in more than 1,000 fatalities.

According to Anadolu Agency, during a plenary session, the court reviewed the arrest warrant targeting Assad for his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity and war crimes associated with the 2013 chemical attacks. The warrant, initially issued by Paris investigative judges in November 2023, was previously upheld by the Paris Court of Appeal in June 2024. The court ruled that the alleged acts could not be considered part of the official duties of a head of state. The final decision on the matter is expected to be announced during a public hearing on July 25.

In addition, the court examined an appeal by Adib Mayaleh, the former Syrian Central Bank governor, who has been indicted in France for complicity in war crimes. Advocate General Sonia Djemni-Wagner recommended that his claim of immunity be rejected.