Syrian court hands down life sentence to Jerusalem Brigades member

A Syrian court sentenced Abdul Jabbar Ghazi Arziq to life in prison on Wednesday. The conviction follows his participation in an armed group tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. State media reported the ruling, which officials say reflects the severity of the militia’s actions during the conflict.

Arziq served in Liwa al-Quds, also known as the Jerusalem Brigades. The group primarily recruited members from the Bab an-Nayrab Palestinian Refugee Camp east of Aleppo. The Foundation for Defense of Democracies describes the unit as possessing light arms, mortars, and short-range rockets. The organization maintains close ties with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the IRGC.

The militia claimed responsibility for rocket attacks in April 2023. According to the Hezbollah-linked Al Mayadeen network, projectiles launched from Syria targeted Netur and Avni Eitan in the southern Golan Heights. The court determined the group sought to incite civil war and promote sectarian violence. Judges classified these actions as war crimes and crimes against humanity due to human rights abuses under the Assad regime.

Radif Mustafa, director of the Accountability and Prosecution Department at the National Commission for Transitional Justice, explained the reasoning behind the harsh penalty. He stated that the gravity of the acts and the threat to social peace influenced the decision. The court rejected Arziq’s request for mitigating circumstances. It also ruled he is ineligible for future gender or special amnesty.

Mustafa told the state news agency SANA that the ruling confirms that political changes will not erase these crimes. He added that authorities will continue efforts to ensure victims of the Assad regime receive justice.