Assad’s Cousin Detained in Lebanon as Efforts to Block Extradition Mount
A lawyer close to the Alawite Islamic Council has been appointed to handle the case of detained Syrian national Suleiman Hilal al-Assad, amid attempts by a member of the Assad family residing in the UAE to prevent his extradition to Damascus by circumventing the law and expanding the scope of the judicial case in an effort to keep him detained in Lebanon for as long as possible.
The detainee, a cousin of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, was arrested by Lebanese authorities on September 12, 2026. He was detained by the Intelligence Directorate along with others in Baalbek on charges of possessing and using drugs, carrying military weapons, and illegal residency.
Syrian authorities had formally requested his extradition to face charges related to murder, rape and drug trafficking.
