The Syrian street is steadily turning up the pressure on the country’s new leadership to lock in the principles of transitional justice and hold those responsible for crimes against civilians to account after years of Bashar al-Assad’s rule.

The conflict between Republicans and Democrats has recently taken a sharp turn, with the judiciary being misused as a venue for political score-settling and mutual revenge.

In a rare moment in the French political and judicial context, Lebanese activist Georges Abdallah, 74, who had spent more than half his life behind bars, was released on July 25.

US President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order after US Senate Democrats last month blocked a Republican-led effort to pass legislation setting up a sanctions regime targeting the ICC.

The Syrian regime and allied forces murdered over 700 people in Daraya—514 have been documented by name—including at least 36 women and 63 children.