Former Syrian Air Force Intelligence Colonel Faces Charges of Crimes Against Humanity in the United Kingdom
Washington, DC: March 12, 2026
“The case against Salem Al-Salem, a former Air Force Intelligence colonel, is the first prosecution of its kind in the UK to hold a member of the Assad government accountable,” said the Syrian Justice and Accountability Centre (SJAC) following the Al-Salem’s first appearance in court. SJAC added, “as a colonel in the Syrian Air Force Intelligence, Salem Al-Salem played a direct role in violence perpetrated against Syrians demonstrating against Assad’s rule.”
On March 9th, 2026, the Crown Prosecution Service announced charges against Salem Al-Salem who is accused of seven charges including three charges of murder as a crime against humanity. These crimes were committed in 2011 during the brutal repression of demonstrations in the Damascus suburb of Jobar.
SJAC facilitated the investigation by connecting authorities with witnesses and victims to the crimes committed by Air Force Intelligence. This is one of dozens of cases the Centre has supported.
“SJAC’s archive of open-source data and testimonies from witnesses inside Syria have allowed us to support this and other investigations of former Assad officials. The evidence collected since the fall of the Assad government means there are more opportunities to hold perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity accountable,” said Mohammad Al-Abdallah, Executive Director of SJAC.
The Syria Justice and Accountability Centre (SJAC) is a Syrian civil society organization working towards a Syrian state defined by justice, respect for human rights, and the rule of law, where citizens from all components of Syrian society live in peace without fear. Its mission is to promote justice and accountability in Syria by ensuring that human rights violations are comprehensively documented, and that documentation data is securely preserved, cataloged, and analyzed to advance transitional justice and peacebuilding.
For inquiries in Arabic and English, please contact:
Mohammad Al Abdallah
Executive Director
Michael Ader
Senior Communications Officer