A Syrian court conducted the first hearing on Sunday in the trial of ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad and senior figures from his government, one of whom appeared in person. Speaking with FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney, Nanar Hawach, Senior Analyst for Syria at the International Crisis Group, says that despite most perpetrators being tried in absentia, "transitional justice is integral for Syria to move on past the civil war and past atrocities".