The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus has ruled to strip former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, his brother Maher, and six other officials of their civil rights, while placing their assets under government administration.

The court also charged Brigadier General Atef Najib, the former head of the Political Security Branch in Daraa in 2011, with “systematic mass killing” and arbitrary detention.

Relatives of victims, members of the National Transitional Justice Commission, and human rights organizations attended the hearing, marking a significant development in efforts to hold perpetrators accountable for violations committed over the past years.