Bangladesh, May 11 -- As Syria navigates the tumultuous aftermath of President Bashar al-Assads fall from power, a surprising courtroom battle has illuminated just how little has changed beneath the surface. Despite the collapse of the regime, key figures tied to Assad-era corruption and human rights abuses are not only walking free-they are also leveraging the fragile judicial system to attack critics. The latest example: Mohammed Hamsho, a US-sanctioned businessman and longtime Assad ally, has launched a defamation lawsuit against Syrian activist and entrepreneur Abdel Hamid Al Assaf.

The case, which Assaf describes as emblematic of the “corruption entrenched in the Syrian judiciary,” has triggered widespread outrage and la...