Syria's authorities have arrested four former security and paramilitary officials linked to the ousted Assad regime in Deir ez-Zor , while appealing for victims of alleged abuses to come forward with evidence, in a move that has renewed debate over the country's approach to transitional justice.
Bassam al-Kuwatli, leader of the Syrian Liberal Party, said the authorities' public appeal for victims to come forward raised questions about the strength of the cases against those arrested.
"This is part of the issue. We do not know much about them, and the fact that they are searching for people to bring evidence against them might mean that they do not have enough evidence to start with," he told The New Arab .
The appeal comes as Syria's new authorities continue to grapple with how to hold members of the former regime accountable following the fall of Bashar al-Assad, with thousands of families still seeking answers about relatives who were detained, forcibly disappeared or killed during decades of Baathist rule.
Al-Kuwatli argued that the arrests reflected the absence of a coherent transitional justice process rather than evidence that one had been established.
"In general, what we are seeing is something between selective and random justice, rather than anything resembling transitional justice. There are still no clear procedures or coherent approach," he said.
"There are still people taking revenge into their own hands because of this problem. We see senior figures remaining free while relatively low-level offenders are arrested."
He said the uncertainty extended beyond criminal prosecutions to the fate of thousands of Syrians who disappeared under the Assad government.
"It is the same issue facing the families of the forcibly disappeared. They do not know where to go, what to do or what can realistically happen," he said.
"The worry is that, as time passes, the government will feel less pressure to act seriously on this issue."
Assad-era figures detained
The debate comes after the Counter-Terrorism Administration of the Internal Security Forces carried out the operation on Saturday as part of an ongoing investigation into former regime personnel.
According to the Deir ez-Zor Media Directorate, those detained included Fadel Mohammad Moein al-Nuwaiji, a former investigator in the Political Security Directorate who worked in the al-Bukamal district and held several posts across different security branches.
Authorities also arrested Ahmed Suleiman al-Muaybir, the former head of the armaments division of the pro-Assad National Defence Forces (NDF) militia, where he oversaw sniper units.
The other detainees were identified as Mohammad Ramadan al-Alim, a former official responsible for a State Security prison who is under investigation over allegations of abuses against detainees, and Ismail Hannoush al-Abdullah, a former Military Intelligence member being investigated over allegations that he participated in arbitrary arrests.
The authorities said investigations remain ongoing and urged anyone who claims to have suffered abuses at the hands of the four men to contact the relevant authorities and submit information or evidence to assist the investigation.
The arrests are the latest in a series of operations targeting former Assad-era military, intelligence, and militia personnel since the collapse of the former government.
However, the authorities have so far released few details beyond the men's former positions and the allegations under investigation, and have not said when they may face formal charges.
Human rights organisations have repeatedly argued that accountability for abuses committed under the Assad government will require transparent legal procedures, protection for victims and witnesses, and credible investigations capable of distinguishing between those who directed or committed serious crimes and lower-ranking officials.