Damascus, Sep. 16 (SANA) The People’s Assembly unanimously approved Wednesday a bill to abolish the Terrorism Court and nullify the legal effects of its rulings during the third session of the first extraordinary legislative term.
Restitution of confiscated property
People’s Assembly member Nour Arabo told SANA that the bill provides for the formation of specialized judicial committees by the Supreme Judicial Council to annul the effects of unjust rulings issued by the court. The committees will also oversee the restitution of confiscated property and either preserve pending cases or refer them to the competent judicial authority, as applicable.
Arabo added that the bill recognizes as legally valid and effective decisions issued by the Supreme Judicial Council established after liberation in this regard before the law enters into force.
She explained that the bill exempts individuals whose confiscated funds or property are restored under judicial rulings issued by the Terrorism Court, field courts or military courts between March 15, 2011, and December 8, 2024, from all taxes, fees and costs arising from the transfer of ownership back to them.
Arabo noted that the court issued thousands of rulings and ordered the confiscation of funds and property without adequate safeguards for fair trials, relying on security investigations and confessions allegedly extracted from detainees through torture.
She added that the court had been exempted from complying with procedures stipulated under applicable legislation, depriving defendants before it of fair-trial guarantees and contravening the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Addressing legal effects
People’s Assembly member Yasser al-Shahada said in a separate statement that the unanimous approval of the bill by attending members reflects the importance of the issue to Syrians.
He noted that members’ discussions focused on the wording of the bill and the amendments and additions needed to ensure that the legal consequences arising from the court and its rulings are properly addressed.
Al-Shahada described the bill as an important step toward redressing the rights of Syrians and closing a chapter of exceptional laws and courts. He expressed hope that it would be followed by a comprehensive review of unjust laws that harmed Syrians over past decades, leading to a legislative and judicial framework that protects rights and freedoms and safeguards citizens’ dignity.
People’s Assembly member Omar Hayes said the Assembly initially discussed the possibility of amending the Counterterrorism Law before concluding that the court itself should be abolished along with its resulting effects, paving the way for a new law regulating terrorism-related cases.
The Terrorism Court was established by the ousted regime in the year following the outbreak of the Syrian revolution as a replacement for the Supreme State Security Court. It was used to prosecute opponents by labeling them as “terrorists,” in addition to ordering the confiscation of the property of thousands of Syrians.
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