The government is "ready" to change the legislation on the jurisdiction of French justice in matters of crimes against humanity, called into question since a recent judgment of the Court of Cassation, announced Wednesday the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Justice.

"In a judgment of November 24, the Court of Cassation deemed necessary the existence in Syrian law of an incrimination comparable to that of French law (...) to retain the extraterritorial jurisdiction of French courts in matters of international crimes", recall they in a statement.

Based on this argument, the highest court of the judiciary found that French justice was incompetent to prosecute a former soldier of Bashar al-Assad's regime, indicted in Paris for complicity in crimes against humanity. .

This judgment, known as “Chaban”, is “however likely to be the subject of a new examination”, underline the two ministries, indicating that they will follow the next court decisions in the matter.

In office, they will be "ready to quickly define the changes, including legislative ones, which should be made in order to allow France to continue to resolutely register its action within the framework of its constant commitment in favor of impunity for crimes international”.

"We've been asking for it for ten years"

In the Chaban case, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), a civil party, filed an "opposition" for a procedural problem, indicated Me Clémence Bectarte, lawyer for the NGO.

A judicial source confirmed.

If this opposition is deemed admissible, the case will be re-examined by the Court of Cassation, said the lawyer.

“We take note of what seems to be a commitment for the law to be reformed”, commented the lawyer.

“We have been asking for it for ten years, we hope that it will be followed by effects”.

The decision of the Court of Cassation has caused an earthquake in the judiciary and human rights organizations, which fear that this decision will set a precedent and will have serious repercussions on other investigations of this type. .

According to a judicial source, this could concern 36 preliminary investigations out of the 75 currently carried out by the national anti-terrorist prosecution in terms of crimes against humanity.

Similarly, 13 of the 80 judicial inquiries could be undermined by this judgment.

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