Inside the Coastal Incidents Trial – Assad’s Affiliates #11: Two Expert Reports: One Accepted, One Rejected

TRIAL OF THE COASTAL INCIDENTS

Military Criminal Court – Aleppo, Syria 

Trial Monitoring Summary #11 – Assad’s Affiliates 

Hearing Date: September 24, 2026

CAUTION: Some testimony may include graphic descriptions of torture, rape or other violent acts.

Note that this summary is not a verbatim transcript of the trial; it is merely an unofficial summary of the proceedings.    

Throughout this summary, [information located in brackets are notes from our trial monitor] and “information placed in quotes are statements made by the witness, Judges or counsel.” The names and identifying information of witnesses have been redacted.    

[Note: SJAC continues to provide a summary of the proceedings while redacting certain details to protect witness privacy and to preserve the integrity of the trial.]

[Note: Following the first session of the trial, in which all the Accused — both Assad regime’s and Government’s affiliates — appeared before the Court, the Accused were severed into two groups based on their affiliations. Therefore, the Syria Justice and Accountability Centre (SJAC) decided to separate the trial reports according to the Accused’s affiliations.]

SJAC’s 11th trial monitoring report details day 12 in the trial of Assad’s affiliates pertaining to the coastal incident, taking place in Aleppo, Syria. On this trial day, an expert report was received regarding one of the Accused, which revealed a high degree of similarity between the voice of the Accused and the voice heard in the video clip. However, the Accused denied any connection to the video clip attributed to him.

Regarding another Accused, the expert was unable to find the original image showing the Accused holding a severed head. The Accused accepted the expert report, which concluded that he was fighting against ISIS, but he denied that this occurred in 2019, stating instead that it took place in 2018. Both Accused requested an acquittal, or alternatively, leniency and mercy.

Day 12 – September 24, 2026

The session commenced at 10:00AM.

The First Case:

The Accused, Mohammad S., was called. The Court appointed him an ad hoc Defense Counsel C10 [redacted name].

The expert report dated September 10, 2026, was received, revealing that the files had been recovered [from the Accused’s mobile phone] and that a voice comparison was conducted with the files contained within, resulting in a 90% match.

When the Accused, Mohammad S., was asked about his opinion regarding the expert report, he reiterated his previous statements, saying that he bought the phone used, that he did not know whether it contained old clips related to the coastal incidents, and that he did not record any clip on March 7, 2025.

The Associate Judge noted that the report confirmed the filming was done with the Accused's mobile phone. The Accused responded that he did not film anything, that he was at his home in the village of [redacted location] at the time of the coastal incidents, in which he did not participate.

The Presiding Judge pointed out that the names of two personnel were mentioned in the second clip, whom the Accused was asking, “Where are you from and where did you come from?” The Accused replied in court that he knew nothing about the individual Yamen from Karbala.

The ad hoc court-appointed Defense Counsel C10 requested an acquittal for the Accused, or otherwise, leniency and mercy.

The Court adjourned the session for review to October 1, 2026.

The Second Case:

The Accused, Maher O., Maher A., and Al-Waddah I. were called. The ad hoc court-appointed Defense Counsel C10 appeared with them.

The technical expert report conducted on a video clip was received, stating that the clip was created in 2019.

The Accused, Al-Waddah I., said that he accepts the outcome of the expert report. He added that he fought with the “former army” against ISIS in the Badia [desert region,] which took place in October 2018, not in 2019, as he was out of service at that time.

It was stated in the expert report that the expert was unable to access the images related to the case in which Al-Waddah I. is holding a severed head because they are globally prohibited and deleted for violating publishing terms.

When the Accused, Al-Waddah I., and his Defense Counsel were asked whether they had anything further to add, they answered in the negative.

The Court noted that there is a video clip in which the Accused, Al-Waddah I., appears with an individual called O6, [redacted name]. Al-Waddah I. responded that he denies any connection to any video clip, and that he does not know O6 nor did he appear with him in any video.

Upon questioning the Accused, Maher A., he answered that he does not know O6. He requested an acquittal, or otherwise, leniency and mercy, which was echoed by his Defense Counsel.

The Accused reiterated their previous statements and concluded them.

The Court adjourned the session for review to October 1, 2026.

The proceedings were adjourned at 1:00PM.

The next trial day will be on October 1, 2026, at 10AM.

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