Syria’s interim justice minister has recently come under scrutiny after old videos resurfaced, showing him reading execution sentences in Idlib, as reported by Middle East Eye on January 5th.
The videos depict Shadi al-Waisi reading the execution sentences of two women who were charged with “corruption and prostitution” in 2015. These videos were verified by the fact-checking network Verify-sy.
“The platform Verify-sy conducted a thorough verification process using specialised technical tools to match the features and tone of voice clearly heard in at least one of the videos, with the features and voice of [Justice] Minister Shadi al-Waisi, who had recently appeared in several filmed interviews,” stated Verify-sy.
READ: Syria’s justice minister scrutinized as videos expose him overseeing executions
In addition, Verify-sy reached out to several figures in the new Syrian government, with an anonymous official has confirmed Waisi`s identity.
The official shared that Waisi was a judge at the time of the video. The Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) government has not yet commented.
The anonymous source spoke in defense of the interim government, arguing that HTS has moved beyond this stage of executions, making it inappropriate to characterise the current government in this way.
This footage has been met with widespread criticism on social media, with many calling for HTS` leader Ahmed al-Sharaa to officially distance himself from these harsh forms of capital punishment.
Others have questioned whether such punitive measures will be utilised under Syria’s new administration, while many have called for Waisi to be removed from office altogether.
Middle East Eye
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