A year after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s government, a groundbreaking cross-border investigation has shed new light on the crimes committed under his rule, the ongoing human suffering in Syria, and the challenges of achieving justice for survivors and victims’ families. The investigation, known as the Damascus Dossier, brought together more than 100 reporters from 26 newsrooms across 20 countries. Led by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) in collaboration with Germany’s NDR broadcaster, the project relied on an unprecedented trove of over 100,000 leaked files from Syrian intelligence and security services, revealing systematic abuse, illicit financial networks, and international attempts to hold perpetrators accountable.

The findings highlight the Assad regime’s long-standing culture of torture, surveillance, and repression. Journalists uncovered evidence of widespread civilian murders, brutal interrogations, and other forms of inhumane treatment carried out by government forces and allied militias. Beyond documenting human rights abuses, the dossier also explored the regime’s financial operations, tracing money funneled out of Syria by ruling elites, and examined the uneven response of international authorities tasked with bringing war criminals to justice.

Several European countries are actively pursuing legal action against former Syrian officials and militia members implicated in war crimes, although efforts face numerous challenges. In Belgium, for example, the federal prosecutor’s office confirmed to reporters from De Tijd, Knack, and Le Soir that 19 ongoing criminal investigations are targeting individuals suspected of violating international humanitarian law in Syria. These include both pro-Assad militia members and former fighters for the Islamic State (IS). Yet experts caution that the lack of resources for police and prosecutors could leave numerous perpetrators undetected and unpunished, highlighting a major gap in the continent’s ability to enforce accountability.

In Austria, two Syrian security officials who received asylum have been accused by prosecutors of torturing civilians who protested against the Assad regime. Austrian news magazine Profil and broadcaster ORF interviewed a man claiming to be a victim of the crackdown, who could serve as a witness in potential trials. He described instances in which one of the accused, a high-ranking general and the most senior Syrian official to face war crimes accusations in Europe, personally oversaw torture sessions. “I hope that we will achieve justice for all those who couldn’t achieve it themselves – and for all those who have lost so much,” the witness said, emphasizing the emotional weight behind these legal proceedings.

Other European countries are similarly engaged in investigations. In Sweden, a prosecutor informed SVT, the national broadcaster, that the information uncovered by the Damascus Dossier could prove “incredibly important” in ongoing and future legal cases. Across the continent, authorities are grappling with the logistical and legal challenges of prosecuting crimes committed in Syria, particularly given the complexity of evidence collection and the difficulties of verifying testimonies in a post-war context.

The Damascus Dossier also shed light on how economic elites under Assad’s rule transferred vast sums of money to Europe, often obscuring ownership through complex corporate networks. Investigations by Profil traced a network spanning Austria and Germany, which held tens of millions of dollars in property, including apartment hotels in central Vienna. Many of these assets were previously owned by Rami Makhlouf, Assad’s cousin and a sanctioned billionaire businessman. Current ownership remains unclear, demonstrating the continued opacity of financial dealings tied to the former regime and the potential for illicit funds to remain outside the reach of authorities.

These findings not only reveal corruption and financial misconduct but also underscore how regimes can exploit international systems to safeguard illicit wealth, even while committing atrocities at home. The dossier’s exposure of these networks has prompted calls from civil society groups and investigative journalists for stricter oversight and accountability measures to prevent similar abuses in the future.

Another alarming aspect of the investigation focused on state surveillance of Syrian citizens. Reporters from the Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ) and Lebanese outlet Daraj revealed how two major telecommunications companies in Syria facilitated government surveillance by providing intelligence on citizens’ communications. This information allowed security forces to identify, track, and target activists and dissidents. In one case, the phone data of a single anti-Assad activist enabled authorities to dismantle an entire network organizing anti-government protests.

The dossier also captured the deeply personal and tragic consequences of the regime’s surveillance and repression. Syrian families interviewed by Damascus Dossier reporters recounted the loss of loved ones, sometimes receiving their first information about deaths only through leaked documents. NDR’s documentary included an interview in Deir Ezzor with the family of Muhannad Salah Khalifa, a young man who died in the prison system. Meanwhile, Finnish broadcaster Yle spoke with a Syrian woman living in Finland whose brother’s death was documented in the leaked files.

Among the many individuals featured in the Damascus Dossier is Mazen al-Hamada, a prominent activist killed in the final weeks before the Assad regime collapsed. His sister, Amal al-Hamada, recounted to SVT her frantic efforts to locate her brother in Syrian prisons after the government fell. She stressed the importance of information for justice: “Information is the first step towards justice. If the perpetrators are not brought to justice, Syria cannot become stable.” Her words encapsulate a common theme of the Damascus Dossier – the vital link between evidence, accountability, and the possibility of rebuilding a society ravaged by violence.

The Damascus Dossier exemplifies the potential of cross-border investigative journalism to hold powerful actors accountable. By combining resources, expertise, and data from 26 newsrooms across 20 countries, the project has illuminated crimes that might have remained hidden and has strengthened efforts to pursue justice at both national and international levels. While the process of holding Assad-era officials and associated militias accountable is slow and fraught with challenges, the dossier provides a roadmap for legal authorities and human rights organizations seeking to navigate complex cases involving war crimes, financial corruption, and systematic human rights violations.

Despite the Assad regime’s collapse, the legacy of its abuses continues to affect Syrians worldwide. Families of the missing, survivors of torture, and communities living in exile all face the daunting task of seeking justice while confronting the trauma of the past. Yet through meticulous documentation, rigorous investigative work, and international collaboration, the Damascus Dossier has brought these stories to the global stage, reminding the world that accountability is not only a moral imperative but also a critical foundation for Syria’s future stability.

The Damascus Dossier investigation marks a pivotal moment in the pursuit of justice for Syrian victims of the Assad regime. By uncovering the extent of systematic abuses, financial misconduct, and state surveillance, the investigation provides both the evidence and the impetus needed to pursue accountability across borders. While challenges remain in prosecuting war criminals and tracing illicit wealth, the dossier has given victims, their families, and the international community renewed hope that the truth can no longer be hidden. As Amal al-Hamada aptly put it, without justice, Syria cannot achieve stability – a stark reminder that transparency, accountability, and international cooperation remain essential in confronting the atrocities of the past.

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