Northern Syria takes step toward new judicial system
The Turkish-built Palace of Justice and an even larger prison were inaugurated in al-Rai last month with the expectation of a new judicial system to begin functioning in mid-October in place of unsanctioned courts controlled by the Free Syrian Army.
ALEPPO — On Sept. 19, the local council of the city of al-Rai, in the northern Aleppo countryside, controlled by Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) forces, inaugurated the new building to house the Palace of Justice. Turkey fully funded the construction of the court building and the adjacent prison.
Turkish officials attending the opening ceremony included the governor of Kilis, Mehmet Tekinarslan, his deputy Fahmi Sinan Niyaz and Kilis’ attorney general, Zafar Karaja Oglu. Among local officials were the head of al-Rai’s local council, Ismat Abbas, and a number of municipal dignitaries, police chiefs, general security officers and FSA leaders.
Alaa Mohammed, a public relations officer for al-Rai’s local council, told Al-Monitor, “The Palace of Justice is the first of its kind in FSA-controlled areas in northern Syria. It will serve as the central court and the point of reference for all courts in the Euphrates Shield area, Afrin and Aleppo’s countryside. It will include criminal courts and courts of appeals and cassation, all of which will start formally operating by mid-October.”
The Euphrates Shield area refers to the northern and northeastern countryside of Aleppo now under the control of Turkish-backed FSA militias that allied with Turkey's military during Operation Euphrates Shield, conducted from August 2016 until March 2017.
