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Interim Government's Justice Minister Involvement in Women's Executions Shakes Syrian Street
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The involvement of an interim government minister in previous executions reveals the need to examine officials' backgrounds and its impact on the transitional phase's credibility
The verification platform "Taakad" has revealed the involvement of Shadi Al-Weisi, Minister of Justice in the interim government formed by Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, in issuing and implementing death sentences against two women on charges of "corruption and prostitution" during his tenure as a judge.
The platform conducted a thorough investigation of two video recordings circulated on social media, using specialized technical tools to match facial features and voice tone that appeared clearly in at least one of the recordings with recent photos and recordings of Minister Shadi Al-Weisi.
The technical analysis results showed a high match rate between the person appearing in the recordings and the current minister, despite the poor quality of the circulated recordings.
To complete the verification process, and given the specificity of working in conflict zones according to the adopted methodology, "Taakad" platform contacted several entities in the new Syrian administration, where a high-ranking official confirmed the information's accuracy.
The senior official, who preferred to remain anonymous to speak freely about this sensitive issue, stated: "The video content documents law enforcement at a specific time and place, where procedures were carried out according to the laws in force at the time and within a consensual procedural process."
The source added: "We would like to note that this operation reflects a phase we have surpassed in light of current legal and procedural transformations, making it inappropriate to generalize or use it to characterize the current phase, given the different circumstances and references."
The official emphasized the new administration's commitment to reviewing previous procedures, saying: "In the context of breaking with that phase, and in our commitment to transparency and credibility, we announce that all legal procedures that took place during that period will be subject to careful review to ensure the integrity of judgments and their compatibility with justice and fairness standards."
These developments come a month after the "Military Operations Administration" formed by "Hayat Tahrir al-Sham" led by Abu Mohammed al-Jolani took control of Damascus on December 8, 2024, and the flee of former Syrian regime head Bashar al-Assad, at a time when voices calling for implementing a federal system that ensures justice and equality for all components of Syrian society are rising.
Levant-Taakad Platform
