Belgium is conducting 19 criminal investigations into suspected Syrian war criminals living in the country, a year after the collapse of Bashar al Assad’s regime, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office said on Thursday, according to Belga News Agency.
The figures were released as part of the Damascus Dossier, a cross-border investigation coordinated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) with contributions from Belgian outlets De Tijd, Le Soir, and Knack.
The project analysed more than 134,000 leaked documents from Syrian intelligence services, exposing widespread, systematic torture under Assad’s rule.
Possible Belgian connection
The leak also suggests a possible Belgian connection, with inquiries within the Syrian diaspora indicating that regime supporters and individuals implicated in atrocities may now be residing in Belgium.
Belgian authorities have opened 27 cases involving alleged violations of international humanitarian law tied to Syria during the Assad era. Eight have since been closed, Federal Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson Yasmina Vanoverschelde said.
“There are still 19 criminal investigations ongoing. Some relate to Daesh fighters who participated in crimes in the country during the Assad regime,” she noted. Four of those cases are currently before an investigating judge.
Assad, who ruled Syria for nearly a quarter-century, fled to Russia in December 2024, ending the Baath Party’s decades-long rule. A new government under President Ahmed al Sharaa took office in January.
But despite the mounting evidence, specialists say Belgium may struggle to bring suspects to court. Brigitte Herremans, a Syria expert at Ghent University, said chronic staff shortages pose a serious challenge.
“The Federal Prosecutor’s Office says it has received reinforcements but does not hide the fact that there has long been a shortage of police investigators for war-crimes cases,” she said.
