SNHR Provided the U.S. Department of Justice with Data on Serious Violations Committed During His Leadership Roles in Syria
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Damascus – The Syrian Network for Human Rights:
Introduction
On July 9, 2024, law enforcement authorities in the United States of America, in the city of Los Angeles, California, arrested former Syrian officer and official Samir Othman Al Sheikh, in connection with investigations related to his involvement in serious crimes committed while he held security and civilian positions in Syria.
On March 16, 2026, a U.S. federal jury convicted the sheikh in a Los Angeles court, and the verdict confirmed the formal charges against him, which included:
- Conspiracy to commit torture, by agreeing with others to carry out systematic torture against political prisoners and others.
- Three direct counts of torture, for his role in the physical and psychological torture of detainees during his tenure as director of Adra Central Prison in Damascus between 2005 and 2008.
- Defrauding U.S. immigration authorities, including providing false information to obtain a permanent resident card (Green Card), and seeking U.S. citizenship based on false statements.
These charges fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. federal courts, which allow for the prosecution of individuals involved in serious international crimes, even if committed outside the United States, provided there is a connection to immigration procedures or crimes punishable under U.S. law. The conviction came after a jury trial, meaning that the judge and jury in the Central District of California concluded that the evidence presented by the U.S. prosecution proved his guilt.
SNHR indicates that no sentence has yet been issued, and the sheikh may face penalties that could reach:
- Up to 20 years in prison for each of the charges of torture and conspiracy to commit torture.
- Up to 10 years in prison for each charge of defrauding immigration authorities.
Background of the Case
According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights database, Samir Othman al-Sheikh, a native of Idlib Governorate, is a retired brigadier general who retired in early 2011. He held several leadership positions, most notably:
- Head of Adra Central Prison in Rif Dimashq Governorate.
- Head of the Political Security Branch in Rif Dimashq Governorate.
- Governor of Deir ez-Zor Governorate from July 24, 2011, until early 2013.
His appointment as governor of Deir ez-Zor Governorate came in the context of the popular uprising, and he was a member of the governorate’s security committee, the body responsible for coordinating and making military and security decisions, including arrests and raids.
Legal Framework for Responsibility
The Syrian Network for Human Rights affirms that the responsibilities and positions held by the accused place him within the chain of command of the former Bashar al-Assad regime, thus imposing legal responsibility for violations committed under his authority. This responsibility is based on the principle of command responsibility in international law, whether through issuing orders, knowing about violations and failing to prevent them, or failing to investigate and hold perpetrators accountable. This legal framework constitutes a crucial part of the analysis of evidence in national and international cases aimed at holding perpetrators of serious violations accountable.
The most prominent documented violations:
Based on the Syrian Network for Human Rights database, Deir ez-Zor Governorate witnessed widespread and grave violations between April 2011 and January 15, 2013—a period coinciding with the defendant’s assumption of leadership positions—most notably:
- The killing of at least 3,933 civilians, including 312 children and 261 women, by Assad regime forces and affiliated militias.
- The killing of at least 93 people, including two children, under torture in detention centers.
- The documentation of at least 659 cases of arbitrary arrest, including 31 children and 19 women, 508 of which became cases of enforced disappearance.
SNHR also documented a number of prominent massacres during that period, including:
- The massacre during the storming of Deir ez-Zor on August 7, 2011, which resulted in the deaths of 81 civilians.
- The massacre in the Al-Joura and Al-Qusour neighborhoods on September 25, 2012, which claimed the lives of 95 civilians.
- The bombing of a bakery in Al-Basira on December 25, 2012, which killed 22 civilians.
The Role of the Syrian Network for Human Rights
The Syrian Network for Human Rights has contributed to supporting this case since 2023 through:
- Providing the United States Department of Justice with detailed and documented data on the most prominent violations committed.
- Providing legal analyses linking patterns of violations to the chain of command.
- Cooperating and coordinating with partners on this issue, including the Syrian Emergency Task Force.
This role comes within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the United States government in October 2019, which aims to enhance the exchange of information in support of investigations and accountability, and to place those involved in human rights violations within the framework of accountability and sanctions.
The Significance of Charges and Conviction in the Context of Transitional Justice in Syria
The charges against Samir Othman al-Sheikh and the jury’s decision to convict him represent:
- A significant step toward holding Syrian officials accountable for torture crimes before the US federal courts.
- An important development in utilizing jurisdiction to prosecute serious international crimes.
- A clear message that impunity is not guaranteed, even after the passage of time or the departure of those involved from Syrian territory.
These measures also come within the context of Syria’s transitional phase, which necessitates the establishment of comprehensive transitional justice mechanisms that include investigation and accountability for serious violations committed since the beginning of the conflict. The Syrian Network for Human Rights affirms that the data and evidence it has collected, along with that gathered by partner organizations, constitutes a fundamental pillar for supporting national transitional justice in the future, enabling the Syrian national judiciary to utilize it to strengthen accountability and guarantee the rights of victims, in accordance with international law standards.
Recommendations
The Syrian Network for Human Rights reiterates its call for:
- Supporting Syrian national justice within the framework of the transitional phase, through the establishment of local mechanisms for investigation and accountability for serious violations committed since the beginning of the conflict.
- Strengthening cooperation with relevant international bodies to support these national mechanisms and exchange data and evidence, without exceeding their role in supporting the local judiciary.
- Ensuring that individuals and entities involved in violations are held accountable, taking into account the role of the Assad regime’s top leadership, including the head of the regime as the supreme commander of the army and security services.
SNHR affirms that formal charges and convictions in the United States and other countries are an important step towards achieving justice for victims and provide additional support to national efforts, while emphasizing the need to continue working to ensure that none of the perpetrators of serious violations escape accountability.
