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Syria’s Search For Justice

Accountability for crimes committed against humanity in Syria’s bloody conflict has largely been characterised by its absence against the backdrop of rampant impunity. A decade of suffering replete with images of barrel bombs casually slamming into densely packed civilian areas or the bodies of those killed by chemical weapons lined up as if asleep. Yet a glimmer of hope that the famous Martin Luther King Jr quote that the ‘arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice’ was witnessed in Germany where a court delivered a guilty verdict against Anwar Raslan, a former colonel loyal to the regime who later defected and fled Syria.
Hussein Ghrer, one of 24 former detainees of Branch 251, a military intelligence unit with its own prison in Damascus, who testified against Anwar Raslan explained that “finally, we have an official conviction saying that these individuals have committed crimes in the context of mass attacks on Syrians and systematic crimes against humanity. I believe this is the most important thing to build on in future.”
Raslan was a colonel in Syria’s intelligence service and has now been jailed for life by a German court for the mass torture and murder of anti-Assad protesters, in an important test case for the principle of universal jurisdiction for crimes against humanity. The word ‘landmark’ is used perhaps too often but this does feel like an important decision that could have reverberations much further than this individual involved. It was, let us not forget, the world's first criminal case over state-sponsored torture in Syria.
The challenge of course is the gap between any criminal actions that have taken place in Syria and the final acts of accountability that take place only in situations when individuals have fled the country. An obvious consequence of the decision is that Syrian officials across a wide range of functions may choose to be very careful as to where they travel or whether they may defect or not. Although other incidents of universal jurisdiction have snared individuals sometime after they left power. Famously General Augusto Pinochet, the former Chilean dictator who presided over a 17-year reign of terror and ordered foreign assassinations, was arrested at a London hospital on Friday night by police acting on a request from Spain.
Whilst the Raslan case will remind Syrian officials to keep their heads down for longer, it will also reenergise those campaigners who don’t think it is good enough for the world to shrug their shoulders as to what has happened in the country. “It's only the beginning," said Yasmen Almashan, a campaigner with the Caesar Families Association who lost five of her brothers to Syria's brutal civil war
Indeed, it is worth stressing again that whilst many argue that Syria’s conflict is an internal issue and not one for International Community’s top priorities, I would say that is a false dichotomy. Syria’s war has seen a steady draining of credibility around international laws and norms that have been developed since the end of World War Two. Hospitals and schools are regularly targeted, aid is denied, and hunger has become a weapon of war, supposedly proscribed weapons are used regularly against the most vulnerable sections of the Syrian population. The veto at the Security Council, supposedly a tactic of last resort, has been used some 16 times. Peace conferences and processes have failed at a big picture settlement and have instead taken the country into a fragile status quo still defined by huge risks to civilians.
Raslan’s story itself is a microcosm of this failure. He was convicted of murder, rape, sexual assault and mass torture. He led the intelligence unit that oversaw the running of a jail dubbed “Hell on Earth.” Yet as Dante would argue there are several layers of hell and Raslan was responsible for only a slim part of the mass suffering that the Syrian people have been exposed to. A decade after his crimes, Raslan receiving justice will remind many that actions have consequences. What is more 105 days of court hearings will hopefully give many of his victims that testified, a sense of closure and personal justice that will allow them to continue their lives in dignity.
BY: James Denselow
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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