More than a year and a half since the overthrow of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, a Damascus court on Tuesday sentenced him, his brother and several close associates to death, finding them guilty of premeditated murder, torture and crimes against humanity.
Outside the courtroom, people erupted in cheers, even though it is unclear if or when al-Assad will face justice, as he is currently in exile in Russia, which has refused to date to extradite him. His brother Maher al-Assad, known as "The Butcher" and several other associates are also in Russia.
But al-Assad's first conviction is a long-awaited moment for Syrian society in coming to terms with its own history after nearly 14 years of a brutal civil war that saw millions leave the country, many seeking refuge in Germany.
"This is not the end of the road, but rather an important milestone on the path to justice, reparations for the victims and the upholding of the rule of law," officials in the courtroom said.
Al-Assad's government was overthrown by a rebel alliance led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), or the Organization for the Liberation of the Levant, which Syria's current interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, had led.
Syria has been struggling to find its footing ever since. The transitional justice system also faces challenges.
One the few former officials who could face punishment in Syria is a cousin of the former president, Atef Najib. He was head of the political security service in the southern province of Daraa when the protests first erupted in March 2011. Najib was also sentenced to death.
Daraa is considered the cradle of the uprising against al-Assad. The first mass protests were triggered by the arrest of young people who had sprayed anti-government graffiti on the walls of their school. Security forces violently suppressed the protests, igniting the civil war.
The court unanimously decided to impose the harshest sentence on Najib, sentencing him to death, Judge Fakhr al-Din al-Arian said. According to the indictment, Najib was accused of "systematic mass murder" and arbitrary arrests.
Dozens of people gathered in front of the Palace of Justice in Damascus during the announcement of the verdict, which was televised live. Cheers and shouts of joy erupted after Najib's sentencing. Expressions of jubilation were also reported in Daraa.
The trials are part of Syria's new transitional justice system. Following the political upheaval, the new leadership began prosecuting high-ranking officials of the former government.
Since the end of April, trials have been taking place before the newly established Fourth Criminal Chamber of the Palace of Justice in Damascus, where Tuesday's sentences were handed down.
These trials are intended to clarify, among other things, who ordered violence, who was involved in torture, and where mass graves are located. At the same time, the justice system is meant to deliver justice to the victims in the country and strengthen the rule of law in the new Syria.
For a long time, a fair prosecution of those responsible was not possible in Syria. Proceedings against Syrian nationals were therefore conducted abroad, including in Germany and France.
Now, Syrian courts must deal with the long civil war's legacy that cost more than 500,000 people their lives, according to estimates.
In many cases, the trials concern the prosecution of crimes including systematic torture, mass murder, violent suppression of peaceful demonstrations, and torture resulting in death, often involving minors.
Critics note that so far the proceedings have focused primarily on representatives of the former government, while crimes committed by other armed groups, including jihadist factions and rebel militias, have largely been ignored. Others see the trials as an attempt to appease the population and foreign partners politically.
The next hearing will be in the case of Wassim al-Assad, another cousin of the former president.