On the heels of the French arrest warrant issued against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on November 15, the American Coalition for Syria (ACS) calls on France to request the extradition of Bashar al-Assad when he attends the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, and on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to provisionally arrest Assad and cooperate with and process France’s extradition request in a timely manner.
ACS member organization, the Syrian American Council (SAC) has released a comprehensive document outlining the legal grounds supporting this request. The legal brief has been officially dispatched to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs to underscore the urgency and significance of this matter.
The Coalition’s main requests are as follows:
- Call on French authorities to submit an extradition request to the UAE: ACS strongly urges the French government to move forward with the arrest warrant issued against Assad and use this opportunity to promptly submit a request to the UAE for provisional arrest and extradition in anticipation of Assad’s attendance at COP28. This aligns with international efforts to pursue accountability for those responsible for egregious violations of international law and human rights in Syria, the worst of which has been orchestrated by Bashar al-Assad.
- Call on UAE authorities to cooperate with France and provisionally arrest Assad: ACS strongly urges the UAE to fulfill its legal obligations and cooperate with France in the event of an extradition request. The first step the UAE can take is to provisionally arrest Assad if he attends COP28 and ensure he does not leave the country until UAE courts process and decide on the extradition request. By doing so, the UAE will demonstrate its commitment to accountability, international norms, and international judicial cooperation.
- Call on the US government and other countries to support calls for extradition: ACS urges the Biden administration, as well as the international community, to advocate for the arrest and extradition of Assad. Countries are encouraged to lobby both France and the UAE, ensuring accountability for all perpetrators of the most serious international crimes and the fulfillment of legal processes and obligations.
COP28 should not serve as a sanctuary for individuals accused of serious crimes. In light of the French arrest warrant, ACS calls on countries to halt or reverse their normalization with Bashar al-Assad’s regime and keep their legal obligations to extradite in mind when considering welcoming Assad into their territory. All nations must prioritize justice and uphold the principles that form the foundations of international law.
