A court in Syria has agreed to hear a defamation case filed by Mohammed Hamsho, a wealthy figure blacklisted by Western nations for his close ties to the former Assad regime, against activist Abdel Hamid Al Assaf. The legal move comes after Assaf publicly condemned Hamsho’s reappearance in the capital, which many see as a sign that powerful figures from the ousted government remain untouchable.
On April 21, authorities notified Assaf of the lawsuit, which originally contained over half a dozen allegations. According to Judge Tammam Daoud, as cited by Assaf, the court accepted only the least serious charge—defamation. A hearing has been scheduled for May 25.
Assaf said the fact that a court would entertain a case from a sanctioned individual tied to the former regime underscores deep-seated corruption within the country’s judicial system.
Hamsho, now 59, has faced U.S. sanctions since 2011, with similar measures later imposed by the U.K. and European Union. He is accused of accumulating wealth by trading debris from bombed neighborhoods throughout Syria’s civil war and allegedly serving as a front for Maher al-Assad, the former president’s brother and commander of the Fourth Armored Division, which was involved in the drug trade.
“This conflict isn’t about two individuals,” Assaf stated. “It’s a battle between those who profited from the old system and the millions of Syrians who suffered.”
On Sunday, the solicitor general accepted a counterclaim filed by Assaf, accusing Hamsho of involvement in displacing thousands of Syrians, illegally profiting from their properties, hiring mercenaries to fight for the former regime, and submitting false complaints to authorities. However, Assaf expressed doubt that this counterclaim would lead to any real consequences.
The dispute began in January when Assaf noticed Hamsho and his son Amro—also under U.S. sanctions—had returned to the capital. Assaf shared a photo on social media showing Hamsho walking through Damascus escorted by state security, demanding authorities hold him accountable.
On March 12, Assaf was called to a police station for what he was told would be a routine meeting. Though officers said no charges existed, he claimed they pressured him into signing a document forbidding discussion of Hamsho. After initial refusal, he said he signed under threat of detention, without being allowed to read the content.
The next day, he discovered the document was a police report stating he had confessed to defaming Hamsho and accepted responsibility.
The case has triggered widespread anger in Syria, with many questioning how a war profiteer can return to the capital and use legal channels to silence critics. “The judge should have dismissed Hamsho’s lawsuit entirely,” Assaf argued, “and instead prosecuted him for supporting the Assad regime.”
When approached for comment, Malek Abdullah, a media officer for Syria’s Justice Ministry, declined to discuss either case.
This legal confrontation unfolds amid reports that Hamsho and another regime-linked businessman, Samer Foz, have returned to Syria and allegedly met with senior officials from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the rebel group now controlling the country. Both businessmen have reportedly offered to assist the new government in fighting corruption and taking control of business networks tied to the former regime.