France’s Supreme Court has canceled the arrest warrant issued against former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, citing his former status as a head of state.
The decision aligns with the position of the French prosecution and the Anti-Terrorism Office, which argued that Assad held immunity at the time the warrant was issued in 2023 due to his role as Syria’s president.
The warrant was originally issued in connection with chemical attacks carried out by the Syrian military against civilians in 2013 and 2018. The 2013 attack in the Damascus suburbs, involving the use of sarin gas, killed more than 1,000 people, including many children. The 2018 attack injured around 450 civilians, also including children.
Although the French Court of Appeals ruled last year that the warrant would remain valid, the Supreme Court has now overturned that decision.
Judge Christophe Soulard noted that Assad no longer serves as Syria’s president after fleeing to Russia in 2024. He added that the investigation could continue and a new warrant could be issued in the future, as Assad is now considered a private citizen.
Under French law, the country’s judicial system has the authority to prosecute serious crimes committed outside of its borders, including war crimes and crimes against humanity.