Why many Syrians feel Assad's death sentence isn't enough

Syrian women's rights activist Huda Khayti often visits the place where she lost her brother and women's center during the 2013 chemical weapons attack in Ghouta region, which was carried out by the forces of former Syrian dictator Bashar Assad. She now lives in Idlib, a rebel stronghold, after fleeing her hometown of Douma. Khayti views the recent conviction of Assad and other high-ranking regime members in absentia as a positive step, but notes that it remains unclear if they will face actual punishment.

The Syrian government has established a commission to cooperate with Interpol in extraditing fugitive suspects, but the likelihood of Assad being sent back to Syria for punishment is uncertain, given Russia's long-standing relationship with him. The Syrian Network for Human Rights estimates that over 234,805 civilians were killed during the civil war, with at least 202,000 of those deaths attributed to Assad's regime and its allies.

While the prosecution of high-ranking officials is a crucial aspect of transitional justice, Khayti believes it is not enough and calls for more involvement from victims and survivors, including participation in every aspect of the process and protection from further harm.