State-Sponsored Criminality:

Analysing the Assad Regime’s Role in Systematic Crimes in Syria (2011-2024)

Samah Al Agha

 

Abstract: The article, using a descriptive approach, addresses the wrongful acts committed by the ousted Assad regime in Syria between 2011 and 2024. Through an inductive approach, it examines how certain violations meet the legal criteria for crimes against humanity under international criminal law. The study further employs an analytical approach to explore how the civil war and international sanctions imposed on Syria became key factors driving the regime’s involvement in these violations. It also assesses the consequences of these acts, including the weakening of state institutions, the normalisation of corruption, rising poverty and criminal activity among the population, and the country’s increasing isolation from the international community. Ultimately, the article underscores the need to establish legal accountability for individuals responsible for crimes against humanity under international criminal law, as well as accountability for the other violations examined, to achieve justice for both perpetrators and victims.