Syria opens first public trial over deadly coastal violence

The first trial was opened on Tuesday of some of the hundreds of suspects linked to deadly clashes in Syria’s coastal provinces earlier this year that quickly spiraled into sectarian attacks.

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State media reported that 14 people were brought to Aleppo's Palace of Justice following a monthslong, government-led investigation into the violence in March involving government forces and supporters of ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad. The investigating committee referred 563 suspects to the judiciary.

Seven of the defendants in the court were Assad loyalists, while the other seven were members of the new government's security forces.

The trial follows pressure from the public and the international community for the country’s new rulers to commit to judicial reform after decades under the autocratic rule of the Assad dynasty.