Syrian Army Officer Acquitted of War Crimes: Challenging Efforts to Bring Assad Regime Accountable

The Stockholm District Court acquitted former Syrian army brigadier general Mohammed Hamo of war crimes charges. The court’s verdict, delivered by Judge Katharina Fabian, stated that the prosecution did not present enough evidence on the main issue in the case: whether the division’s attacks were indiscriminate and whether Hamo was accountable for the delivery of shells in these incidents.

Hamo, who is 65 years old, is the most senior member of the Syrian regime to have faced trial. The case file revealed that he was responsible for logistics in the 11th division of the Syrian army at the beginning of 2012, including combat food. During this time, the division was involved in fighting against armed opposition in Homs and Hama.

Prosecutor Caroline Wislander stated that she would review the verdict before deciding whether to appeal it. She also noted that the court’s decision would pose challenges in future cases related to crimes committed by the Syrian regime. Despite this setback, there are still efforts underway to bring those responsible for war crimes and human rights abuses in Syria to justice.