Judge Hatem al-Naasan, head of the National Investigation Committee on the Sweida incidents, met with Jean-Baptiste Faivre, the chargé d’affaires at the French Embassy in Damascus, to review the committee’s mandate and the mechanisms it uses to document developments in the southern province.
The meeting, held at the Ministry of Justice and attended by Amel Benhagoug, the political adviser for Syrian affairs at the French Embassy, covered the committee’s operational procedures, methods of gathering information, and the legal measures taken to ensure investigations proceed within the applicable national frameworks.
Judge al-Naasan delivered a structured briefing on the steps adopted since the committee began its work, including documentation processes, field-level coordination and the institutional safeguards designed to maintain compliance with Syrian law.
For his part, Faivre underlined “the importance of efforts to uncover the facts and safeguard the rights of those affected,” noting his country’s interest in following developments related to the events and supporting cooperation in areas of shared concern.
In a statement to SANA following the meeting, committee spokesman Ammar Ezz al-Din said the discussions reaffirmed the body’s independence and its role in determining responsibilities and holding those involved accountable. He added that the committee’s work forms “a core component in strengthening national reconciliation and consolidating civil peace.”
The committee had held a press conference on Nov. 16 in which it requested an extension of its mandate, citing challenges that prevented completion of its tasks within the previous timeframe, including incomplete fieldwork in Sweida and the widening scope of violations under review.
