Inside the Majdi N. Trial #8: Testimony of Expert Psychiatrist
TRIAL OF MAJDI N.
Court of Assize – Paris, France
Trial Monitoring Summary #8
Hearing Date: May 19, 2025
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 provides a summary of the proceedings while redacting certain details to protect witness privacy and to preserve the integrity of the trial.]
[Note: Rather than publishing the trial reports of the Majdi N. case in chronological order, SJAC has organized them thematically and coherently based on the content of the hearings, making the material more accessible by highlighting key issues and connections across the proceedings.]
SJAC’s 8th trial monitoring report details a part of day 11 (morning) of the trial of Majdi N. in Paris, France. On this trial day, expert psychiatrist E3, reported on her examination of Majdi N. which took place during an hour-long meeting on March 13, 2020. In the Accused, E3 found traits aligned with patterns of antisocial personality. She said he had an intellectual level above average and, according to her, his judgment was not compromised at the time the alleged crimes were committed. It seemed to E3 that Majdi N. had an authoritative presence as well as a potential for violence. When questioned by E3 about the charges, Majdi N. had repeated he would never have joined Jaysh Al-Islam if he had known about war crimes and crimes against humanity being committed by the group.
Day 11 – May 19, 2025
Morning Session
The testimony of expert psychiatrist [redacted name] E3, started at 11:29 AM.
E3 explained that the Investigative Judge had requested a psychiatric evaluation to assess whether Majdi N.’s judgment was compromised [when the alleged crimes were committed]. The examination took place on March 13, 2020.
In the examination, E3 had asked Majdi N. about his background, including possible experiences of violence during childhood, to which he responded, "I don't want to talk about it." He had reported completing a master's degree in Aydin University in Turkey and indicated he was accepted at a university in London to study international security and international studies. The Accused had told E3 he was single and had no children, but was engaged to a woman who was an artist and designer living in the US. Majdi N. had also mentioned that he had been detained for 27 days in Syria. E3 noted that it was difficult to obtain clear answers from him.
E3 reported that Majdi N. had been treated for [redacted information]. He appeared athletic. She added he had no medical history, no evidence of psychosis, and no prior suicide attempts. During the examination, Majdi N. had said that he felt bad but was not sad or anxious. He had mentioned having had only distant suicidal thoughts in the past.
According to E3, Majdi N.’s intellectual and cognitive functions were of good quality. His verbal expression was clear, with fluid thinking and normal associations.
E3 noted that Majdi N. had a beard and a prayer mark on his forehead. He appeared attentive, though his expression was closed off. At times, he seemed somewhat mocking but could also be direct and cooperative. E3 noted that he seemed to attempt to control the conversation and occasionally tried to charm her or dominate the conversation. Despite this, the interview proceeded without interruption, and E3 declared there was sufficient cooperation.
When she questioned him about his personality, E3 noted that Majdi N. sat up straight, as though preparing to give a lecture on his own character. He had mentioned having many secrets and not wanting to share everything. When he was questioned about his ability to experience emotions, he refused to answer. E3 described him as inherently distrustful, while he had claimed to be very sociable. It seemed to E3 that he had an authoritative presence as well as potential for violence. He appeared somewhat cold, and he demonstrated ease in relationships and speaking in public. According to E3, these traits aligned with patterns of antisocial personality.
In the interview, Majdi N. had indicated to E3 that between 2013 and 2016, he was the spokesperson [of Jaysh Al-Islam] and had no military activity. He had claimed that if the allegations that Jaysh Al-Islam committed war crimes and crimes against humanity had been true, he would never have joined. He had also mentioned that he had put himself in danger by leaving the Syrian army, and argued it made no sense to leave one criminal group to join another.
Majdi N. had acknowledged being an opponent of the Syrian regime because of its torture practices. He’d said he joined Jaysh Al-Islam because they opposed ISIS and because he’d heard that Al-Qaeda took prisoners, particularly Sunnis, and tortured non-Sunnis.
E3 concluded that Majdi N. had an intellectual level above average and had no psychotic mental disorders. His defense was that he deserted the army and would have deserted again, from Jaysh Al-Islam, if he had known about their actions. E3 noted that he appeared to be on guard and sometimes seemed to belittle her as the interviewer. She added he never mentioned the victims [of Jaysh Al-Islam]. At the time of the alleged crimes, E3 concluded there was no loss of judgment. E3 had no suggestions for therapeutic treatment, stressing that antisocial personalities are difficult to treat because they do not acknowledge the issues they have to address.
Civil Parties’ Counsels’ Questioning of E3
E3 explained that her interviews usually lasted an hour. Counsel Bailly wondered if she felt Majdi N. was evasive, and she replied that it was unprofessional to talk about her feelings. What she could say is that in the end, she had no clear understanding of what he was doing [under Jaysh Al-Islam]. E3 noted that before answering, Majdi N. took his chair, turned it slightly “as in the movies,” and placed the file in front of him, in an attempt to control the conversation. Counsel Bailly wondered if he was trying to manipulate her, and E3 only replied that he seemed to steer the interview in the direction he wanted.
Counsel Bailly mentioned Majdi N.’s declaration that he was a public personality and had secrets and wondered if E3 tried to learn more about that. She had not, adding that the interesting thing was the declaration that he had secrets itself. She suggested it was a way to show that he was special. Counsel Bailly noted that Majdi N. had declared he did not want to lie, so he preferred not to speak. E3 only replied that if he had secrets related to the case, justice would find them.
When asked about the mention of "possible psychopathy" in her report, E3 responded that psychopathy is not part of the classic nosography and that further testing would be needed to make a definitive diagnosis.
Prosecution's Questioning of E3
Prosecutor Havard asked if there was a contradiction between Majdi N.’s antisocial personality traits and E3’s descriptions of him as polite and friendly. According to E3, some antisocial individuals with cold affects and egocentric emotions are less tolerant to frustration. However, other antisocial individuals with higher intellectual levels may still not have much empathy but can control situations and be transgressive in a way that is well-adapted to social interactions.
Defense Counsel’s Questioning of E3
Counsel Ruiz asked if the conditions of the examination were unique because of the [COVID-19] lockdown, which E3 denied. He asked E3 if she had read the counts before the encounter, and she replied she usually did not but, in this case, the charges were such that she might have skimmed through the document. Counsel Ruiz emphasized that the counts were untypical.
Counsel Ruiz found it “absurd” to establish a psychiatric profile five years [after the examination], to which E3 retorted that she was here to share her report, not to create a profile. Counsel Ruiz questioned the value of her information, for instance when she testified that Majdi N. was manipulative. She responded that she had not used this term and repeated her observations that he was closed off and did not show much affectivity, even though he was not hostile. Counsel Ruiz wondered if that could result from his experience of war, but E3 rather reckoned it was a way of functioning. Responding to Counsel Ruiz, she declared that she did not include cultural and religious dimensions in her examination.
When asked to list the traits of antisocial personality she’d observed in Majdi N., E3 mentioned his stoicness and the potential that it could become aggressive. She further noted his suspicion, coldness, loquacity, and egocentrism. She also repeated that he had made no remarks about the victims [of Jaysh Al-Islam]. Counsel Ruiz argued that it was difficult to show empathy for someone who already had to defend himself from accusations. E3 noted that when torture was addressed in the course of the conversation, Majdi N. did not get to the heart of the topic, adding that in her career, she had met people who did. Asked if interpretation represented a filter, E3 responded that the interpreter was certified by the Court.
Proceedings were suspended at 12:24 AM.
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