The Military Criminal Court in Aleppo on Thursday, September 17, handed down verdicts for four defendants tied to the 2025 coastal unrest, delivering a range of punishments that included death, life imprisonment, a 20-year sentence, and acquittal.
The session, held at the Palace of Justice in Aleppo and presided over by Judge Zakaria Bakkar, was attended by judicial authorities who reviewed pending matters before issuing the rulings, according to an Enab Baladi correspondent inside the courtroom.
The court pronounced verdicts for four of the seven defendants in this group, postponing judgments for the remaining three to a hearing scheduled for next Thursday.
Hadi Qablan was sentenced to death after being convicted of inciting civil war and participating in an armed gang. Tahani Ahmed received a life sentence along with civil disenfranchisement, though he was acquitted of the felony of inciting sectarian discord. Hassan Halabiya was cleared of charges related to inciting sedition and forming gangs and was ordered released immediately. In a separate ruling, Basil Marei al-Hassan, an affiliate of the Ministry of Defense, was convicted of intentional homicide and sentenced to 20 years in prison, with credit for time served in pre-trial detention.
A Ten-Month Judicial Process
Thursday’s rulings cap a legal process that began with the first public hearing on November 18, 2025, at the Aleppo Palace of Justice, following the violence that erupted on the Syrian coast in March of that year.
The court held its second hearing on December 18, with defendants and their defense counsel present. The broader trials involve 14 defendants split into two groups: seven affiliates of the former regime and seven members of current government forces and security agencies.
Across subsequent hearings, the court reviewed evidence submitted in the case files, heard testimony from defendants and witnesses, and examined video and photographic documentation. During the third session on March 8, the seven former regime affiliates faced charges of participating in attacks against security and military forces during the coastal events, as well as inciting sectarian tension, promoting civil war, and establishing armed gangs. The court temporarily adjourned that session to summon witnesses and analyze evidentiary video recordings.
Proceedings continued through April, May, and June with detailed examinations of audio and visual media. In an April 23 session, a specialized technical committee was appointed to verify the authenticity of contested footage, while defense attorneys raised concerns that some digital evidence may have been manipulated. During the June 18 session, which included defendants from both groups, the court heard statements from remaining defendants and their lawyers, alongside arguments and files presented by the National Investigation Committee, before postponing final deliberations to July.
Human Rights Concerns and Next Steps
The ninth session, held on July 9, involved the presentation of additional visual evidence and defense arguments before the court set a date for sentencing. The high-profile trial has drawn sustained attention to the safeguarding of defendants’ legal rights, procedural transparency, and demands for justice from victims and their families.
The proceedings are part of a broader series of legal referrals following official investigations into the March 2025 coastal unrest, which involved acts of violence and violations directed against civilians and government security personnel alike.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
